


Time of Dogs and Wolves

by Deedee78965, Milju_Jujae_tbz (Deedee78965)



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Anal Sex, Anxiety, Awkward Flirting, Breeding Kink, Brief Depictions of Violence, Chanhee is a little shit, Childhood Sweethearts, Come Inflation, Drama, Eventual Romance, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Haknyeon is the best wingman, Hyunjae is a literal prince, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Juyeon is Whipped, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentions of Blood, Milju, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Romance, SIde!Sunnew, Side!Bbangkyu, Side!Moonbae, Slow Burn, Underlying themes of mental health, jujae, past trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:21:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 76,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25251541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deedee78965/pseuds/Deedee78965, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deedee78965/pseuds/Milju_Jujae_tbz
Summary: “That’s Lee Juyeon. Very dangerous, and very volatile. I wouldn't risk it, your highness. He’s already been returned twice due to his violent behaviour and refusal to cooperate.”“I’ll take him.”“Y-your highness? I don’t believe that decision would be wi-““Did you not hear me? I said,I want him.”In which Juyeon is a hot blooded, hot tempered, violent alpha, who is angry at the world and the system. That is, until he’s bought by omega prince Hyunjae, one of his childhood friends who promises him freedom. Only, Juyeon finds that when it comes to Hyunjae, he might not want to be free, not when he’s able to be with the prince all the time.
Relationships: Bae Joonyoung | Jacob/Moon Hyungseo | Kevin, Choi Chanhee | New/Kim Sunwoo, Ji Changmin | Q/Kim Younghoon, Lee Jaehyun | Hyunjae/Lee Juyeon
Comments: 54
Kudos: 354





	1. All day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anon7912](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anon7912/gifts).



> Dedicated to the queen of Jujae/Milju herself, my friend anon7912. Happy birthday, queen! (I told you I had something planned, haha) I honestly would not be able to actually get around to posting this fic without you, and I sincerely am forever grateful for your support and beta-ing (thank you for fixing my sloppy mistakes hehe) and really do treasure our friendship~ I hope your special day is full of only good things!
> 
> Honestly, not 100% sure how ao3 notifications work regarding subscriptions and pseuds, but if you have subscribed to my Meanie pseud and got the notification for this fic, it would be nice if you can let me know! Just so I can see what's going on with ao3 and their notification system.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy what promises to be a long ass fic and a rollercoaster of emotions!

Hyunjae had to admit that he had no interest in alphas.

Of course, no one would believe him — after all, he is an omega, the mere scent of an alpha should get him all excited and eager to mate. However, that wasn’t how it worked, and especially, that wasn’t how Hyunjae saw it.

And it wasn’t just that he was so sheltered. As the crown prince, they had multiple guards stationed within the palace, some of whom were indeed alphas. Hyunjae just never felt that pull, and thought the way alphas who were unmated were treated was cruel; he would never participate in that awful trade of ‘buying and owning’ an alpha.

That is, until his cousin, Chanhee went and got his own, a tall red headed fellow named Kim Sunwoo. And ever since Sunwoo came into Chanhee’s life, he’s been pestering Hyunjae about going and finding his own, going on and on about how “there’s bound to be someone who catches your eye!”

And Hyunjae had done his best to ignore his cousin, telling him to leave him alone, until his parents, the king and queen had sat him down and asked him, “Isn’t it time you found yourself a mate? Chanhee already has one, and he’s younger than you!”

Which is why Hyunjae is currently on his way to ‘pick out an alpha’.

He fully intends on leaving without one. It’s not like anyone is going to jump out at him anyways, and so he’s already decided to go and look around before leaving and telling his parents no one caught his eye.

So when the carriage comes to a halt Hyunjae tells himself, _‘Let’s just get this over with,’_ as his personal assistant/bodyguard, Haknyeon, follows him into the building.

“Aren’t you excited, your highness? You’ll finally be able to get some action!” Haknyeon says, as he practically bounces alongside Hyunjae. He gives a distasteful look to the beta, as he says, “You would think that the only thing you saw alphas good for is their dicks,” 

Haknyeon shrugs. “You’re not entirely wrong,” Hyunjae has to suppress his urge to snort, as they approach the front desk, attracting the woman’s attention. She’s a well-dressed, short beta with long dark brown hair, who immediately perks up upon seeing him.

“Oh! Your highness!” She says, immediately coming out from behind the counter. She bows, and Hyunjae gives her a tight smile. He already feels uncomfortable. 

“We received notice you would be coming today! I hope you’ll be able to find the right alpha for you! My name is Heejin, and I’ll be the one guiding you today,” the brunette chirps, and Hyunjae shakes her hand awkwardly.

“Uh, thank you Heejin,” he says, already feeling super awkward. She brightens at the sound of her name coming from his lips, and Hyunjae has to suppress the urge to cringe. He can feel Haknyeon chuckling behind him; his advisor had known him since they were children, and can read his body language better than anyone else, even his parents.

Heejin leads him further into the building, taking them down a sleek looking elevator into a large underground basement filled with small rooms. Each room is see through; Heejin explains that the rooms are built with one way mirrors that allows those outside to see in, but those inside unable to see anything but their own reflections. Hyunjae already feels bad for the alphas trapped within, even as Heejin explains the reason behind it all.

“As we all know, unmated alphas pose a huge risk towards society. Unable to control themselves, once an alpha turns eighteen, they are submitted to one of these facilities until an omega or beta comes and picks them up. Of course, there are some that are never picked, and they usually end up as government service workers, returning every night back to their facility,” Heejin says, gesturing towards one of the rooms which holds an elderly fellow, who sits in a rocking chair reading a book. Hyunjae feels a wave of pity wash over him, as he follows Heejin.

Within each room holds many different alphas. From the age of 18 to mid 30’s, some even in their 40’s and 50’s, Hyunjae lets Heejin talk her little head off, as she brings him through rows and rows of rooms of alphas. Each other has a little information pad in front of it, with head shots of the alpha, along with basic information including name, age, height, and past mating history.

“What’s this?” Hyunjae asks, pointing towards a tally mark near the bottom of one of the many alpha’s information pad. Heejin looks over before saying “Oh! That means that this alpha has been returned once before. Owners can return alphas for any number of reasons - mostly it’s because they were unable to form a bond with the alpha, and thus, both parties agreed it would be best for them to part ways. Other times, it could be just because the alpha was too volatile. And so like any other product, the owner returned them.” 

Hyunjae feels nausea roll up in him at the way Heejin talks so matter-of-factly. These alphas are treated no better than objects, dehumanized down to mere toys. He casts a glance at the alpha with a tally mark, a blonde boy who’s curled up in a fetal position, trying to sleep. Pity fills him, as Haknyeon nudges Hyunjae, letting him know that Heejin has moved on.

It feels like hours have gone by. Heejin is stubborn, Hyunjae will give her that. She’s determined to bring him through every single alpha they have, if that’s what it takes, but Hyunjae just wants to go home and get out of this disgusting place.

But as they walk past another row of many glass rooms, Hyunjae suddenly pauses, looking towards one room Heejin had purposely skipped over. His eyes widen, as he walks towards the glass, unhearing to the way Haknyeon calls Heejin over.

Hyunjae can’t believe what he’s seeing. 

In the centre of one of the rooms is a blue haired alpha. His black sweater is tattered and black jeans ripped to shreds, with a black leather collar snug around his throat, short leash hanging from it. Everything in the room is either broken or overturned, including the cot-like bed they’ve provided. He looks so, so angry, as he sits in the centre of the room, knees pulled up to his chest.

“Who’s this,” Hyunjae asks, voice barely above a whisper. He almost doesn’t want to ask the question, for fear he’s right. 

“This? Oh...your highness, I’m afraid this alpha isn’t suitable for you...that’s Lee Juyeon. Very dangerous, and very volatile. I wouldn't risk it, your highness. He’s already been returned twice due to his violent behaviour and refusal to cooperate.”

Hyunjae’s mind goes blank. Lee Juyeon. The name isn’t one he’s heard in years. And yet, even with all that anger swirling in his eyes, Hyunjae recognizes him. It’s the same Lee Juyeon he played with as a child, the one who would protect him from bullies despite being a year younger than him, the one who declared he would marry Hyunjae when they grew up.

You could say they were childhood sweethearts. Hyunjae had the biggest crush on Juyeon, and when the younger’s family moved away from their position inside of the palace, Hyunjae was heartbroken. He hadn’t seen Juyeon for a good fifteen years, ever since he was seven.

He’s unaware of Heejin’s ramble about how he’s unfit for Hyunjae, the prince going over to the alpha’s information pad. Everything listed there matches with the Lee Juyeon he knows, and he glances down to see the two tally marks at the bottom of the screen. The words _CAUTION! SUBJECT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND UNWILLING TO COOPERATE_ are in flashing letters beneath the information of his name, height, weight, blood type, and birthdate, and it’s at this point that Hyunjae has decided. He will take a mate home. But only to set one of his former best friends free.

“I’ll take him.”

Heejin stops mid-ramble as she stares at Hyunjae in shock.

“Y-your highness? I don’t believe that decision would be wi-”

“Did you not hear me? I said, _I want him._ ”

_‘I’m going to save you, Juyeonnie. I’ll set you free from this wretched place.’_

* * *

Juyeon growls at the man who tries to grab a hold of his leash. He hated the people in this place, and he hated the fact he was being treated as nothing more than a piece of merchandise. But the man is able to take hold of his leash anyways, and they wrestle him down to tie a piece of cloth between his mouth, making him unable to bite anyone else.

His wrists are also bound behind his back, rendering him unable to fight back, and Juyeon writhes, trying to buck the man sitting on him off of him, but it’s useless.

Juyeon tries to resist, but is still led out of the room, and towards whatever fool bought him this time. He had already scared off two ‘owners’ - a third would be nothing.

At least that’s what he thinks. And how wrong he is, when he’s brought out to the front, squinting against the sunlight. 

When his eyes finally adjust, they land on the man in front of him. His heart jumps, and the fight bleeds out of him, eyes wide as he takes in the sight and scent of the man standing before him. _Hyunjae._ His childhood sweetheart, and best friend.

He’s changed a lot since he’s last seen him, of course. But it’s undeniable that he’s _his_ Hyunjae. That mischievous smile, the big Bambi eyes, and his scent. God, his scent is even more intoxicating now that they’ve both grown up. Juyeon wants to run to him, to hug him and kiss him, to rub his own scent all over that delicious one to make him his. He wants Hyunjae underneath him, to protect that omega as his own, because no one, and Juyeon means _no one,_ would ever hurt his omega.

He has no idea what it was about Hyunjae that made him feel this way. The wave of possessiveness that washes over him when he sees him, even when they were little kids. He can remember the ugly sense of jealousy that would rise up inside of him whenever any of the other kids tried to pick on him, or hold his hand. Hyunjae has always been, and will always be, his to protect. And nothing could change that. 

The men who brought him out carefully hand the leash over to another man who stands next to Hyunjae, a beta. Yet Juyeon is heedless to that, his eyes solely on Hyunjae, who’s got this gentle smile on his lips, and that sparkle in his eye that tells Juyeon that _yes_ , he remembers him.

His heart leaps into his mouth. He wants to tell Hyunjae he missed him. That he thought of him everyday ever since they had moved. That he still _loves_ him. But the damned cloth in his mouth prevents him from doing so, and so he just whines pitifully.

There’s a woman at the side blabbing about how dangerous Juyeon is, and how she isn’t sure he’s right for the prince of this country, and Juyeon wants to strangle her, because she has no idea what she’s talking about - Juyeon would never, _could_ never, hurt his Hyunjae. And he’s pleasantly surprised when Hyunjae cuts her off saying, “That won’t be necessary,” before taking the leash from the beta man beside him.

“Your highness?” the man asks, and Hyunjae gives him a smile. “Juyeon will ride inside the carriage with me,” he says, before giving Juyeon that same gentle smile from before. He reaches forwards to undo the cloth tied around his mouth, both the woman from before and the men who brought him out yelling in protest, but Hyunjae pays them no mind, as he says “Haknyeon, undo his wrists as well,”

Juyeon doesn’t know what to say once he’s freed. So he just blindly follows Hyunjae into the fancy carriage, waiting for the omega to follow suit as he signs some papers and assures the people outside that he’ll be fine.

And once they’re gone, and Hyunjae has re-entered the carriage, he tells the driver to start moving, and Juyeon is left alone with Hyunjae in the silence, as the prince gives him a soft smile.

* * *

Juyeon hasn’t changed a bit. Of course, Hyunjae had to say he also _did_ change quite a lot, becoming broader and taller, and of course, much more handsome. But he still looked at Hyunjae in that same funny way that he would whenever they were children. Almost like a big puppy.

He is unsure where to start, but decides to introduce himself, just in case. “I’m sure this is all jarring for you, but um, in case you don’t remember me I’m Lee-”

“I do remember you, Hyunjae,” Juyeon says, cutting him off. The alpha looks frightened, almost, and Hyunjae has to refrain from pulling him into a tight hug. “Oh. Uh, well, that’s good,” Hyunjae says, painfully awkwardly.

They ride in silence for a bit before Hyunjae clears his throat. “Okay, let me cut right to the chase. What they do to you alphas there is horrible - that’s no way to live, and I fully intended on just leaving because I really don’t support any of that crap. But then I saw you and I just…” Hyunjae closes his eyes and shakes his head. “I don’t want to force you to mate me, Juyeon. I just want to set you free. I mean...there’s only so much you can do under the guise of being my mate and all but I just...didn’t want to leave you there.”

Juyeon doesn’t respond, and Hyunjae glances at the alpha. He seems to be digesting everything he heard and Hyunjae is fiddling with his ring on his finger. He honestly doesn’t know why he feels so nervous, but instantly snaps back to attention once Juyeon opens his mouth to speak.

“So...I won’t have to wear this anymore?” Juyeon asks, voice small. He’s tugging at the collar around his neck, and Hyunjae’s eyes widen. “Oh no! No, of course not, actually, come here,” the prince says, gesturing Juyeon forwards. He leans in to close the space between them, and undoes the collar, dropping it to the floor. Hyunjae’s heart hurts when he sees the red mark left around his neck, obviously from being pulled by the collar violently.

“When we get to the palace, I can get one of the doctors to take a look at your neck...god, I can’t believe they would do this to you,” Hyunjae murmurs. Juyeon continues to look at him with big eyes, and Hyunjae lets out a sigh. He knew he was doing the right thing, and yet, he feels strange. When he saw Juyeon in there, he had felt something like a pull towards him - but Hyunjae shakes his head, trying to snap himself out of it.

He’s not here to mate with Juyeon. He’s here to rescue him. And give him a good, free life - at least, as good a life as he can inside the palace.

“For the first few months you might need to stick with me...I think it’ll be good for people to see us together so no one questions you. But once things die down a bit, I can see if maybe I can get you your own place to live? It might be far from town, but it’s better than being trapped inside that facility,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon nods. Silence fills the carriage again, and neither of them are looking at each other. Hyunjae curses internally - was it this awkward for Chanhee as well?

 _‘Chanhee could probably talk to a wall and have an ongoing conversation with it,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. The fact that he chose some random alpha probably helped too - the past between him and Juyeon seems to make everything so much more awkward - they know practically everything about each other, that it feels weird to try to re-acquaint themselves with one another.

But just as he thinks that, the carriage passes by one of the nature conservatories that they had gone to on a field trip when they were younger. The sight of it makes Hyunjae smile - he still has such good memories of going there with his class, being partnered with Juyeon because the younger refused to go with anyone else. They had spent the day together, eyes wide as they took in the sight of the forest and other animals, small fingers entwined.

What was the icing on the cake, though, was the way Juyeon had gone to the gift shop with the money his parents gave him and bought Hyunjae a rose quartz necklace. It was just a simple thing - the small rock looped on a leather cord, but the gift made the older’s heart flutter - he still has it to this very day, and just looking at it makes him feel warm.

“I remember that place,” Juyeon comments, and Hyunjae looks over at him. The alpha is gazing at the conservatory, expression one of nostalgia. Hyunjae smiles, as he tries to start a conversation.

“Me too. I remember having a lot of fun in there,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon nods, smiling a bit. “Chanhee was terrified of the snake they showed us,” Juyeon comments, and Hyunjae laughs at the memory. His cousin was and still is a big wuss - he would probably still scream if he saw the same snake today.

“The scavenger hunt was a lot of fun too. I think I still have the map somewhere in my room,” Hyunjae says and Juyeon smiles, nodding. “Do you remember how I literally tackled Younghoon so you could be the first one to complete the hunt?”

Hyunjae laughs loudly, nodding. “How could I forget! He screamed like he was being attacked by a bear, despite the fact you were so much shorter than him then! If it wasn’t for the prize, I probably would’ve ended up on the floor laughing,” Hyunjae says, and they both chuckle at the memory.

“I still have the necklace you gave me too,” Hyunjae comments, and Juyeon turns to look at him at that point. He has this look in his eyes, one that Hyunjae is unable to read, but he just smiles at the alpha, and feels his stomach flip when he smiles back. 

_‘I guess this won’t be so bad,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. It would just be like having his best friend back in his life; the beginning might be a bit rocky, but they would probably end up just like they’ve always been - best friends.

After all, that’s all there is between the two of them anyways. A relationship that’s purely platonic, and nothing else, right?

 _‘I’m just doing this to save you. Nothing else,’_ Hyunjae reminds himself, as the carriage pulls into the castle.

* * *

Juyeon isn’t sure how he feels about all of this.

Of course, the sentiment was great. He knew his Hyunjae wouldn’t approve of the alpha facilities, and he knew that the only reason he got out of there is because of the omega. But not being his mate?

Juyeon feels as if he’s been cheated. His entire life, he thought about Hyunjae. Wondered what he was doing, if he was okay, if he still remembered him. His childhood love for the omega never faltered, which is why he resisted so much whenever he was brought to anyone else.

And yet here he is, finally with the one omega he’s wanted all along, and it’s like he’s being denied.

Okay, to be fair, he understands where the omega is coming from. It’s been so long, that they’re basically strangers at this point - mating with someone you hardly know isn’t really ideal, despite the amount of omegas who mate their alpha within the week they choose them. 

So why does his heart feel heavy when Hyunjae made it so clear to him that he wouldn’t force him to mate with him?

Perhaps it’s because Juyeon wouldn’t mind being Hyunjae’s mate. If fact, he would rather be his mate than anyone else’s - Hyunjae makes him happy and is someone Juyeon wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life with. Being his mate wouldn’t be a hindrance at all.

Juyeon is questioning his memories now; he felt as if their childhood was one of puppy dog love, the two of them being something a little bit more than just friends. But now he’s wondering if he was imagining things - was Hyunjae never in love with Juyeon the same way the alpha was towards him? His heart feels heavy at that thought. 

_‘No, that can’t be right,’_ he thinks to himself as he gazes out the window. He glances back at the omega, and god, he’s gorgeous. The little beauty mark on his nose is something Juyeon always found adorable and the way that he can still see it makes his heart jump. The prince really is beautiful, dressed in all white and looking like, well, a prince. 

_‘I was able to make him fall in love with me back then,’_ Juyeon thinks to himself as they enter the palace. _‘I can do it again,’_ he tells himself. He’s been waiting for Hyunjae for decades, and now that he’s found him, he won’t let him go, not that easily.

* * *

Hyunjae really wasn’t sure what he was expecting when they got back to the palace. 

Okay, maybe in hindsight he should’ve guessed that there would’ve been people clamouring to see what alpha he’s brought home - after all, this would be the future prince consort as Hyunjae is the only child of the current king and queen.

So when the carriage comes to a stop and Haknyeon opens the doors, Hyunjae is regretting all his life choices when there’s a bright flash and he sees Chanhee standing there with his big camera, a shit eating grin on his face, and Younghoon beside him, the beta laughing. Hyunjae gives them the stink eye, but quickly becomes aware of the fact that there are palace maids and butlers gathered as well, not to mention guards and other passersby who are not too subtly looking in their direction.

“Ah, fuck,” Hyunjae mumbles under his breath. He should’ve known - these people are obsessed with gossiping - the moment they see Juyeon, he knows that the alpha is all they’ll talk about.

And he can tell the moment the alpha steps out, because he hears gasps of men and women alike at the younger, blue-haired alpha’s beautiful features that seem to have been carved with the gods themselves, along with the way Younghoon’s mouth opens and Chanhee raises his eyebrows.

“Isn’t that-” Younghoon doesn’t get to finish his sentence, because a messenger boy is running up to Hyunjae, bowing as he eyeballs Juyeon curiously. “Ah, prince Hyunjae, the king and queen wish to see you and your...mate in the great hall as soon as possible,” he says. Hyunjae glances back at Juyeon, who’s standing just outside of the carriage, looking so very lost, eyes wide as he takes in the palace, and unsure about what to do, or where to go. Hyunjae sighs, as he turns back to the boy and nods, sending him off.

He goes over to Juyeon, grabbing the alpha’s hand. The contact has them both jumping - Hyunjae didn’t know just holding another unmated alpha’s hand would cause such warmth to shoot through him.

“Come on, we have places to go...I really didn’t expect this to be that big of a deal, but I guess it is,” Hyunjae says, as he begins to walk, avoiding eye contact with anyone else. Juyeon follows wordlessly, and Hyunjae sighs again. “Sorry about...all of that. And whatever my parents are going to say. Oh and whatever Chanhee ends up saying because that little shit is definitely going to say something,” Hyunjae says, and for the first time he hears Juyeon laugh.

The sound has his steps faltering as he turns to look at the alpha. His heart skips a beat at the sight of Juyeon’s smile, the very same smile accompanied by the adorable eye crinkle that Juyeon seemed to always wear when he was little. Hyunjae feels his heart rate speed up and he gets oh-so-distracted by the sound of the alpha’s laugh.

“It’s alright. I’m sure they can’t be too bad,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae snaps out of whatever stupor he was put in as he continues to walk. His hands are sweating, as he lets go of the alpha’s hand, as he says “Oh trust me, you might start to regret having me take you out of that place soon,” Hyunjae says, voice overly serious to indicate he’s joking. The alpha laughs again, and Hyunjae can’t help but smile, looking over his shoulder at Juyeon, smile widening at the sight of the alpha laughing again.

He doesn’t know what that sight makes him so happy, but he decides he likes it. _‘It must be because his laugh is contagious,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, but that doesn’t explain his racing heart and his stomach that seems to flip whenever he sees Juyeon laugh because of him. 

The omega doesn’t get to linger on the thought long though because they’re approaching the main hall. He stops them a few steps away as he takes a deep breath before turning to Juyeon. The alpha looks at him questioningly, and Hyunjae has to contain the urge to gush over how adorable he looks in the moment - like a lost puppy, patiently waiting for a command.

“When we go in there, let me do the talking. Just...follow my lead,” Hyunjae whispers, as he tries to smooth out Juyeon’s sweater and comb his hair with his fingers. If he had the time, he would’ve liked to have Juyeon take a nice long shower, before dressing him nicely and styling him a bit before coming to meet the king and queen, but their commands were right away, so here they are.

Hyunjae picks a piece of fluff out of Juyeon’s hair, as he continues to fuss over him. He doesn’t know why, but he really wants them to like Juyeon. And he doesn’t catch the way Juyeon is looking at him, the fondest look in his eyes as Hyunjae straightens out his shirt and picks a piece of lint off his shoulder.

“Here goes nothing,” the prince mumbles, as he enters the hall, Juyeon a step behind him.

And the sight that greets him has Hyunjae groaning.

Of course, his parents are like this. Having gotten all dressed up as if they were to be attending a ball just to meet his mate. Of course, they have to bring out the fancy crowns and the big thrones to intimidatingly sit on. Hyunjae hopes they know that he isn’t bringing home a prince - he had gone to an alpha facility, not some far off kingdom.

He mentally sighs as he stops a few steps away from the front, and bows his head slightly, before saying, “Mother, father, you called?”

There’s a moment of silence in the air, and Hyunjae has to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. He knows his father is trying to intimidate Juyeon, and he can’t help but feel defensive of the younger. Which is why he takes a step back towards the alpha, partially blocking his father’s view of the blue haired man.

The king directs his gaze to his son when he sees how he’s behaving, and Hyunjae levels a look at him. He has his ‘cut-the-bullshit’ look on his face, which is why his mother speaks up.

“Oh honey, you know we just wanted to see what kind of alpha you picked,” she says, and his eyes go to look at the queen, the woman standing up as she descends the steps. Hyunjae doesn’t move, but doesn’t stop her either as she approaches Juyeon.

Hyunjae glances back at the alpha. He seems obviously tense under the gaze of the queen, who gives him a very slow once over, before her eyes go back up to meet Juyeon’s. The alpha immediately bows his head, unsure how to act, and Hyunjae has to bite back a smile. Okay, that was kind of cute. His mother seems to agree, because she flashes Hyunjae a smile, one that he can tell is her way of cooing over the alpha’s shyness.

She quickly schools her face back into that cool facade of a pleasant smile, one Hyunjae has seen her wear all too easily when dealing with nobles and other higher ups, from their own kingdom or others. “What is your name, alpha?” the queen asks, voice all elegance and regality. Hyunjae glances back at his father, who also seems to be holding back a laugh. God, he can’t believe his parents.

“U-uh, I’m Lee Juyeon, your highness,” the alpha stammers out, and the prince almost reaches back to take his hand in his own. Almost. Instead, he clenches his hand into a fist at his side, as he says “Juyeon and I were friends when we were little. He’s the son of the Marquess from the West,” Hyunjae supplies, and the queen nods. “Ah yes, I do remember you playing together as children,” she says, surveying Juyeon once more. The alpha is fidgeting with his sleeves, and Hyunjae feels the need to say, “We were just about to get him settled in and freshened up when the messenger told us you wanted to see us as soon as we arrived. As you know, those alpha facilities aren’t exactly the most elegant of places,” he bites out.

His father lets out a hum, still seated on his throne. The sound has Juyeon’s attention being drawn to the king, peeking up at him, before bowing his head once more. Hyunjae wants to scoff - the action is only going to feed his father’s already huge ego.

“How do we know you’ll treat our Hyunjae right?” his father asks and Hyunjae wants to die of embarrassment. He wishes he could tell his parents that they weren’t actually going to mate, that he just wanted to take Juyeon out of that place, but he has no idea how they would respond. Instead, Hyunjae mentally apologizes to Juyeon for putting him through this.

“Father, this really isn’t necessary, I was the one who chose him-” Hyunjae’s attempt to save the alpha from further scrutiny is interrupted by Juyeon saying, “I can’t give you anything but my word,” he says, voice slightly wavering, but otherwise steady. Hyunjae glances at him, the alpha returning the look with a small smile as if to say, _“It’s okay, I can handle this.”_

“And how do I know what your words are worth?” the king inquires once more and Juyeon gets on his knees. The action has Hyunjae letting out a small gasp - an alpha submitting before another alpha was very rare, and seeing Juyeon in this position in front of his father stunned him - and very obviously both his parents too, if his mother’s shocked face and his father’s raised eyebrows were any indication.

“I cannot show it to you in any form, but please believe me when I say that I would never harm Hyunjae. As his mate, his happiness and wellbeing would always come before mine - you have my word,” the alpha punctuates the last word as he looks up to make eye contact with the king. A risky move for sure, but it seems to pay off when the king holds his stare for only a moment before nodding.

He signals to one of the guards, who lets Haknyeon into the room, the beta bowing deeply before the regents. “Take Juyeon to the seamstress and get him fitted for some clothes. The festivities are going to start eventually, and it would be better to be prepared in advance,” the king orders, and Haknyeon nods, bowing once more, before he guides Juyeon out of the room. Hyunjae makes the move to follow, but the king’s voice holds his back.

“Son, stay here for a second,” the king calls out, and Hyunjae clenches his jaw for a moment, before turning to Juyeon, who’s looking at him with big lost puppy dog eyes. He has to fight the smile threatening to erupt on his face at the sight, and instead says, “I’ll be with you in just a second,” he promises, flashing the alpha a small grin, before patting his shoulder and watching Haknyeon lead Juyeon to the exit and in the direction of the seamstress.

After Juyeon leaves, Hyunjae turns to look at his parents, huffing. “Why did you guys have to scare him like that?!”

His father erupts into a loud laugh, and his mother isn’t any better. He huffs again, crossing his arms. “Oh, come on son, it’s just instilling a healthy dose of fear,” says the king, the older man getting up and coming down the steps, and patting his shoulder. Hyunjae is keeping his unimpressed face on, even as his mom approaches the two, laughing still. 

“If you must know, I was the one who suggested it,” his mom admits, and Hyunjae makes a betrayed face. “I can’t believe you two conspired to make Juyeon afraid!”

“Ah, you’ll understand once you have children too. We just want the best for you. And also to let whatever alpha you brought home that if he doesn’t treat you right we’ll be feeding him to the dogs,” his dad says, and Hyunjae crosses his arms. “Yeah, well, he was probably going to get that speech from Chanhee and Younghoon anyways,” he mentions and his parents laugh again.

“Oh, Chanhee didn’t get a word in yet?” his mom asks and his dad snickers. “Poor boy, I almost feel bad for him now. Almost.”

“Chanhee is like that because it’s _your_ side of the family that’s weird,” Hyunjae accuses his father, and the man makes an offended looking face. Hyunjae smiles when his mom nods, and the king looks betrayed at both of them. “It’s true, we aren’t like that over here,” she says, raising her hands, and that had Hyunjae laughing.

“He seems like a good kid,” his father eventually says, and his mother nods as well. “I thought he was familiar - wasn’t he the one who followed you around like a lost puppy when you guys were younger?” she asks, and Hyunjae has to resist the urge to sigh, and instead only nods. “Yeah, I have to admit I did have a crush on him as a kid,” he admits, the words true. He can feel his face heat up as both his parents make knowing faces, his father wiggling his eyebrows and his mother on the verge of squealing.

“Oh stop it, you two!” Hyunjae says, making them both burst out into laughter.

While it did bother him initially, he’s glad his parents do approve of Juyeon. He just hopes that his friends will go a little easier on him - after all, it’s not like they’ll actually become a couple or anything - he just feels bad for Juyeon being forced to go through all of this without need.

After all, that’s definitely the only reason he’s worried about the alpha...right?

* * *

Hyunjae finds Juyeon in one of the dressing rooms, having his measurements taken and looking utterly lost. Haknyeon turns around when Hyunjae enters and the alpha instantly perks up when he sees the omega.

“Sorry for leaving you on your own like that,” Hyunjae says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Haknyeon moves over to Hyunjae and shows him some pictures from the catalogue he’s holding. “I was thinking about getting this one made for him. He needs at least a few nice suits for special occasions and festivals,” Haknyeon says. 

Hyunjae resists the urge to sigh and rub his temples. He has no idea why everyone is making this such a big deal. “Can’t he just wear some of my clothing?”

“Your highness! Your clothing is specially tailored for you,” the seamstress exclaims and Hyunjae wants to roll his eyes. “We have similar measurements, it won’t be the end of the world,” he reasons and she shakes her head. “Nonsense! I will definitely tailor clothing worthy of being worn by your mate!”

Hyunjae cringes a bit at the word. He glances over at Juyeon who’s still standing with his arms stretched out as the woman measures him, writing down the measurements on her notebook.

“By the way, Younghoon is waiting for you in the inner courtyard. He wanted to see you two after you’re done here,” Haknyeon says and Hyunjae only nods. Younghoon has been Hyunjae’s closest friend after Juyeon moved. The beta was the son of one of the important scholars who worked in the palace, which is why Hyunjae grew close to the other.

Another glance at the alpha has Hyunjae smiling. He looks so lost, so confused as to what to do as the lady instructs him to raise his arms, and the expression on his face is much like a confused kitten. Hyunjae smiles, before his eyes land on the torn sweater and jeans he’s wearing and remembers.

“Ah! Haknyeon, could you run to my room and get him a change of clothes? Juyeon, if you would like, you can take a shower before we go meet more people,” Hyunjae offers, and Juyeon nods. “That would actually be really nice,”

They sit in silence for a moment, as the seamstress continues to take Juyeon’s measurements. Juyeon obeys every prod and push, and Hyunjae takes a moment to study the alpha. He had seen the pure anger in his eyes when he was in that room. There were no other words for it - just anger at what seemed to be the world. And the way he fought those handlers was vicious - Hyunjae could’ve sworn he saw the appearance of claws and redness in Juyeon’s eyes before he caught sight of him.

That brings another question to mind - why was it that Juyeon stopped struggling? Was it because he recognized Hyunjae? But even then, if it was Hyunjae in his position, the prince knows he wouldn’t have just given in like that - in fact, he was scared Juyeon would’ve hated him for participating in such a cruel act.

But now, as he stands obediently on the little stool, eyes big and questioning as he watches the seamstress and looks around the room, Hyunjae can hardly believe this is the same alpha he brought out of that hell hole. He watches him with a fond smile, eyes tracing over the shape of Juyeon’s body before they land on his neck, the red mark making his heart hurt and reminding him to call a doctor. 

But then his eyes lock with the alpha, and Hyunjae feels as if he’s caught. Juyeon is looking at him, staring at Hyunjae as if he wants to say something - either that, or as if he’s assessing him. Perhaps a little bit of both - and they both just stare at each other for a moment. The prince doesn’t know what it is about Juyeon - maybe it’s the way he smells, that delicious musky-woody scent, or maybe it’s from the leftover feelings he still has for the younger from their childhood. But something about him is so very attractive to Hyunjae, and ignites this burning desire in the pit of his stomach.

A burning desire that Hyunjae does his best to snuff out because while he does technically ‘own’ Juyeon, he would never force him to do anything against his will.

The alpha continues to look at Hyunjae, eyes tracing over every detail of his face, and Hyunjae lets himself do the same. His sharp jawline, the line of his nose which curves downwards just slightly, the little beauty mark above his right eye, to his lips. His perfectly shaped pink lips, with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned that gave Juyeon that mischievous look about him - like he knew something that you didn’t. God, Hyunjae wishes he could touch those lips. They looked so invitingly soft, so perfectly shaped, so damn _pretty_. 

_‘It would be nice to touch them. Preferably with my own,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself unconsciously, before he shakes himself out of that thought. He can’t go there - not when he promised both himself and Juyeon that this won’t be _that_ type of relationship. 

Which is why Hyunjae turns away from Juyeon, cheeks burning and refusing to look at the alpha until Haknyeon returns. He thrusts the clothes at the younger alpha, who’s finally done with his measurements, the seamstress happily jotting some things down, as Juyeon takes the clothing and steps down from the stool.

“Haknyeon can you get one of the court physicians to come to my chambers in about thirty minutes? I would like them to take a look at Juyeon’s neck,” Hyunjae says to the beta, and he nods, before Hyunjae turns to look at Juyeon, ears still red as he says, “Shall we?”

The walk to his room is painfully awkward. Both of them seem to want to say something, yet neither of them say it, and Hyunjae curses his lack of social skills the entire time, unaware of the way the alpha trails behind him, mouth opening and closing multiple times.

Finally once they make it to Hyunjae’s room, he gestures to the open door to his right. “Use the bathroom to freshen up. I can get Haknyeon to get you a toothbrush and whatever else you might need, but for now, just knock yourself out with the shower. There’s extra towels in the closet across from the shower,” Hyunjae says, as he flops down onto his bed. Juyeon only nods once, before going into the bathroom, closing the door behind him with a soft ‘click’. And the moment that door closes, Hyunjae is burying his face in his own pillow, only _this_ close to screaming.

This entire day has been so very draining for Hyunjae, not just mentally, but emotionally as well. And it’s only half past noon - Hyunjae swears he might just pass out from exhaustion at this rate.

And it’s not even a joke - lying in his bed, he starts to feel sleepy, eyelids becoming heavy as he gazes at the ceiling. His mind is still awhirl with thoughts - from Juyeon, to his parents, to Juyeon, to his duties he has to attend to, to Juyeon, Juyeon, Juyeon. Always, it comes back to the alpha, and it’s so very frustrating to the omega that he has no idea _why_ this is, and yet he can’t help it.

He’s not even sure how much time passes - it feels like both a few seconds and also an eternity, but he hears the water turn off, before silence envelops the room. Hyunjae can feel his breathing start to even out, eyelids fluttering as he struggles to keep them open, before coming to the conclusion he’ll only close them for a moment.

But he’s not allowed to for more than a second, because he can hear the door opening, and he hears Juyeon call out, “Hyunjae, would you happen to have a different shirt?”

The sound of the alpha’s voice has Hyunjae immediately sitting up, but he regrets it as his mouth drops at the sight of Juyeon standing in the doorway, towel loosely draped around his waist, and skin still glistening with water. He doesn’t want to stare - tries his best not to, but he can’t help the way his eyes travel over the sight of the alpha’s bare body, eyeing his defined muscles. Every curve and contour is perfect - Hyunjae is _this_ close to walking up to him and touching those glorious abs, before he remembers. Oh right.

His face turns red as he immediately darts his eyes back up to Juyeon’s, and only says “Yeah!” before jumping off the bed and grabbing the shirt from Juyeon and practically running to his closet. He’s mentally berating himself for being such an idiot and staring so very obviously at the alpha, before also mentally blaming the alpha for not knowing how to dry himself properly. Or wear clothes, for that matter.

 _‘I can’t believe he has the perfect body to match that perfect face. That can’t be fair,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he digs through his closet for something comfortable for the alpha to wear. _‘It’s his fault for coming out of the washroom like that - why doesn’t he dry his hair, or something first? Or put on some pants?!’_ Hyunjae is trying to calm down the redness of his skin, as he grabs the shirt he was looking for - a loose fitting white string shirt, one that’s slightly big on Hyunjae, so it should fit the alpha, seeing as how his shoulders are a bit broader than his own.

“Here. You can wear this,” the prince says, voice tight as he hands the shirt to the alpha. He refuses to let his eyes wander anywhere below neck level with Juyeon, as the alpha smiles, all warmth and innocence that Hyunjae feels immensely bad for ogling his body. _‘And they say that alphas are the danger to society,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he forces a small smile onto his lips.

“Thank you, hyung. I’ll just be a moment,” Juyeon says as he goes back into the washroom to change. Hyunjae barely manages a “take your time,” before he goes back to fall onto his bed, this time actually screaming into his pillow. This day just keeps getting better and better - and he’s not sure if he means this in a sarcastic way or not, because while a pounding headache is starting to form, he also keeps replaying the sight of Juyeon’s gorgeous body in his mind.

 _‘Is this a curse or a blessing?’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he recalls the sight of all that tanned, smooth skin. The defined pecs, and his rock solid abs were more than enough to make Hyunjae’s dick jerk, interested. Especially when combined with the sight of that fine trail of hair that appeared under Juyeon’s navel, leading under that towel to his co-

He literally slaps himself, forcing the thought away. _‘No! Bad Hyunjae! No horny thoughts! Not now, and especially not towards Juyeon!’_ he scolds himself, grabbing his own cheeks. 

Just because Juyeon is an alpha, and they’re technically supposed to mate, that does NOT mean Hyunjae can fantasize about Juyeon however he wants. _‘We’re just friends. This is just a temporary relationship to help Juyeon escape that horrible place.’_ Hyunjae reminds himself, forcing himself to take deep breaths. _‘This isn’t even a real relationship at all! It’s just surviving the festivals and letting things die down a bit before parting our ways and doing our own thing,’_ Hyunjae thinks, trying to erase the image of Juyeon’s naked body that seems to be seared onto the back of his eyelids.

The prince picks himself up from the bed, scrubbing at his eyes. There’s no time for him to have a mental breakdown right now - not when he has stuff to do and people to see, especially concerning getting Juyeon settled into the palace.

Once the alpha is out of the bathroom, Hyunjae finds himself walking up to Juyeon and fixing the collar for him, and tucking his shirt into his pants, saying, “You have such long legs and nice proportions; it would be a shame to hide that,” he explains as he fixes Juyeon’s clothes to his own liking.

He doesn’t notice how the alpha is looking at him with such a soft look in his eyes as Hyunjae fumbles with the shirt’s hem, stuffing it into his pants, until he glances up at the younger, actions coming to a stop when he sees how _gentle_ and _warm_ his eyes are.

Hyunjae doesn’t know what it is, why he feels this way whenever he looks at Juyeon, why the alpha just looks at him with such...such _softness_ in his gaze. He finds himself trapped in the look that Juyeon is giving him - the two of them just staring into each other’s eyes, the moment between them full of some sort of tension, and yet, also comfortable in a way. As if this isn’t the first time they’ve done this before.

 _‘I feel like I’ve stared into Juyeon’s eyes for centuries,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. _‘And yet, at the same time, I feel like I could continue to just stare into them for centuries to come.’_

His heart flutters when Juyeon raises his hand, brushing his thumb against the apple of Hyunjae’s cheek. The alpha smiles all too gently, as he watches redness bloom across Hyunjae’s fair skin, the prince’s cheeks and ears turning red as Juyeon mumbles a soft, “Cute,” at the sight.

And before either of them can react, the moment is broken by a knock on the door, with Haknyeon’s voice calling through, “Prince Hyunjae! I’ve brought the court physician as instructed!”

The words have Hyunjae snapping back to his senses, removing his hands from the band of Juyeon’s pants (oh god, did he really just spend the past moment with his hands shoved down Juyeon’s pants?!) and clearing his throat, before letting both Haknyeon and the physician in, smiling politely at the old man who walks into the room.

Hyunjae sits down on the edge of his bed as Juyeon lets the doctor inspect his neck, and glances over at Haknyeon who’s standing by the door. The beta notices his look and comes over to stand next to Hyunjae, a cheeky grin on his lips.

“What were you guys up to when I was gone?” he asks, the beta wiggling his eyebrows. Hyunjae rolls his eyes. “Nothing, you pervert,” he responds, and Haknyeon smiles devilishly. “Oh really? Is that why you’re so red?” he asks and Hyunjae has half the mind to hit his advisor if the physician wasn’t standing right there.

“By the way, the alpha facility sent over Juyeon’s file for you to read if you want. I left it in your office,” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae only hums as he looks in Juyeon’s direction. The alpha obediently lets the doctor do a quick checkup on all his vitals, peering down his throat and listening to his heartbeat, as well as inspecting the red mark around his neck.

“After we meet with Younghoon, what else is there to do?” Hyunjae asks Haknyeon absently. The beta laughs, before saying “A lot. We need to start planning the festivities now that you’ve chosen a mate,” Haknyeon says and Hyunjae raises an eyebrow. “Festivities?” 

“Of course. The entire kingdom will be celebrating - your parent’s celebration was apparently really big and grand, and took place not long after they were married - both legally and you know,” Haknyeon makes a biting motion with his mouth and Hyunjae makes a face at his vulgar gesture, but understands. The marking process was more official than any legal document - with the alpha placing his claim on his or her partner that bound the two for the rest of their lives. Hyunjae still remembers the way he asked his mother what the scar on her neck was for, and the way she explained very gently to a young Hyunjae how, “This is evidence that daddy loves mommy very much. You’ll understand more when you’re older,”

The memory also unlocks what had happened the following day - when little six year old Hyunjae had told five year old Juyeon, the little alpha had immediately tried to bite Hyunjae’s arm, stating that he loved Hyunjae and was going to marry him one day - the thought making Hyunjae smile to himself both at how cute they were, and also at the irony of the statement.

He means to pester Haknyeon for more details, but the physician is speaking and Hyunjae stands up to hear what he has to say.

“Your alpha is in good condition. The redness around his neck I’m assuming is from rough treatment of the collar?” the man asks, glancing at both Hyunjae and Juyeon. They both nod, and the doctor shakes his head, before saying, “It should be fine within a few days. I can have some cream prepared for you by tonight to apply to the area to help with the healing process,” he says and Hyunjae thanks the old man, the physician only bowing and saying, “It’s my pleasure, your highness,” before leaving the room.

“Now then! Let’s get going, Younghoon has been waiting ever since you two arrived,” Haknyeon says, ushering both of them out the door. Hyunjae looks back at Juyeon, matching his pace with the alpha as Haknyeon leads the way, the beta heading towards the gardens.

“I hope this isn’t too much of a change for you… I mean, I guess…I just hope it’s not too jarring,” Hyunjae says, and the alpha gives him a small smile. “It is a bit much, but it’s nothing I can’t handle,” he says, voice making Hyunjae’s insides flip. He smiles back, before taking the younger’s hand in his own, an action he doesn’t think that much of, but makes Juyeon’s eyes go down to look at their hands, before looking back up at Hyunjae, cheeks tinged red as the prince says, “That’s good to hear. You’ll just have to deal with this for a few months,”

Hyunjae notices how awkward the alpha seems at the hand holding and goes to release his hand, saying, “Is this too much?” before Juyeon is suddenly shaking his head, blurting out a “No!” and holding onto Hyunjae’s hand that much more tightly. “No, it’s just, I was a bit surprised, that’s all,” the alpha hurriedly explains. “This, um, this is really nice,” he says, cheeks red as he scratches the back of his head. Hyunjae can’t help the way butterflies erupt in his stomach at the sight of the alpha all flustered over the simple action of hand holding.

“Okay then,” he replies a bit awkwardly, as they continue to walk in the direction Haknyeon left, fingers entwined, and both of their faces red, both refusing to look at each other.

The garden is empty at this time of the day, and Hyunjae feels relieved Younghoon chose this place to meet - it’s quiet, beautiful, and relatively away from the hustle and bustle of the palace. He spots the beta with ease, his long limbs and big smile easy to spot from miles away.

Hyunjae smiles back when he spots the beta, noticing how Changmin, one of the other workers in the palace, and Younghoon’s omega boyfriend, is standing next to him, a smile on his lips as well.

Juyeon seems to recognize Younghoon as they near, and Hyunjae lets go of the alpha’s hands to go hug his friend, before nodding politely at Changmin, having only met the other omega a handful of times in the past.

“Younghoonie! I’m sorry we couldn’t come earlier,” Hyunjae apologizes, and the beta waves it off, shaking his head. “It's no problem, it just gave me more time to spend with my Changminnie,” he says, smiling down at his boyfriend. Changmin laughs, nudging Younghoon, before the beta’s eyes wander to the blue haired alpha behind Hyunjae.

“Lee Juyeon. Long time no see,” Younghoon says, offering his hand for the alpha to shake. Juyeon takes it, only to be pulled forwards by Younghoon, the beta immediately saying “You better treat Hyunjae well. If you even think to harm one hair on his head, after his parents and Chanhee kill you, I’ll make sure to feed your body to the pigs,” the beta hisses, and Hyunjae kicks the beta with a frown.

“Younghoon! Stop it,” he says, and Juyeon only nods, eyes wide at the tall beta. Younghoon is still glaring at Juyeon, before he suddenly relaxes, his big doe eyes no longer intense, and a big smile back on his lips. “Alright! As long as that’s clear - here, Juyeon-ah, this is my boyfriend, Changmin. You guys are the same age,” Younghoon exclaims, as he introduces the two. Changmin bows, and Juyeon awkwardly bows back, the two mumbling greetings.

“So! How have you been these past, what, ten years?” Younghoon asks as they start to walk around the garden. Hyunjae looks up at Juyeon, also anticipating his answer - he hadn’t really gotten a chance to just sit down and talk with the alpha, and is curious as well as to what has transpired over the time they were seperated. 

“Nothing much. We moved to the seaside, the Western part of the kingdom to be with my father’s family. I had ended up in an alpha facility there, but was moved to the capital because one of my, um, previous _owners_ had also moved to the capital,” Juyeon says, the mention of whatever past person had picked Juyeon out making Hyunjae’s face scrunch up. He can tell Juyeon isn’t too happy to mention them either, and Hyunjae is quick to take Juyeon’s hand into his own, a way to try and comfort the alpha.

He notices and glances down at their hands again, before smiling softly at Hyunjae. The exchange doesn’t go unnoticed by both Younghoon and Changmin, who exchange glances as Hyunjae and Juyeon give each other soft looks.

“I’m guessing it was love at first sight?” Changmin asks, looking at the two. Hyunjae’s attention is brought back to the younger, mouth opening slightly, and Younghoon snorts. “Of course. Even when they were little, they were like this - Juyeon was like a little puppy dog, following Hyunjae everywhere,” Younghoon says, shaking his head. “It’s no wonder you two ended up together,”

“Ah, um, yeah, I guess it’s just, uh, meant to be, or something,” Hyunjae replies, giving a (not very) convincing laugh. He’s glad that Younghoon doesn’t try to pry into Juyeon’s past - though at the expense of Hyunjae trying to fabricate some story about how he just ‘knew Juyeon was the one,’ in his head, in case the beta asks. He just hopes Juyeon doesn’t try to contradict whatever story he ends up blurting out with some random detail or fact of his own, or that Younghoon and Changmin don’t notice any discrepancies.

“You’re so lucky that you two ended up finding each other - I never understood how omegas could just go into that place and come out with an alpha like they’ve picked out a new toy, or a pet, or something,” Younghoon goes on to say, and both Hyunjae and Juyeon have to agree to a certain extent. “You’re right, I don’t get how Chanhee just...plucked that alpha out of there without a second thought,” Hyunjae comments, and Changmin gives a small smile.

“I saw the two of them the other day - the alpha...his name is Sunwoo right? He seemed to be happy with Chanhee, and I’ve never seen Chanhee laugh and smile the way he did with him. I think they’ll be okay together,” Changmin comments and Hyunjae hums, trying to appear uninterested in his cousin’s affairs, but is glad. Him and Chanhee may not always get along, but Hyunjae does care for him - and he would hate for him to be stuck in a loveless relationship.

“What was your reaction when you saw Hyunjae after all these years, Juyeon?” Younghoon suddenly asks and Hyunjae’s eyes widen at the fact that Younghoon is targeting _Juyeon_ instead of Hyunjae. He wants to jump into the conversation, but he knows that the action would send warning bells off in both Younghoon and Changmin’s heads - the two may be slow to catch onto some things, but this would be a definite sign. So instead Hyunjae just looks at the younger, trying to convey with his eyes to not say anything to screw their position up.

Juyeon looks surprised he’s being included in the conversation. He glances at both Younghoon and Changmin, before looking at Hyunjae, mouth opening hesitantly, as he tries to read what Hyunjae is trying to convey without using words.

“I… uh well,” Juyeon licks his lips and Hyunjae squeezes his hand trying to get him to say _something_. “I guess I was surprised at first,” Juyeon says and both Younghoon and Changmin seem to be hanging off of his every word.

“But after that...I guess I was just happy to see him,” Juyeon replies, looking at the two, before looking down at Hyunjae. He smiles fondly as he looks at the omega and Hyunjae doesn’t know why his face feels hot from the mere look. “He looked like an angel coming to take me away from that place. I really am lucky that Hyunjae hyung was able to find me,” Juyeon says, voice steady as he looks at Hyunjae, smiling lightly, before looking at Younghoon and Changmin. They seem to buy it, because Changmin is cooing, while Younghoon is pretending to barf (though Hyunjae can tell his best friend seems to be happy for him).

Hyunjae doesn’t know why his heart is palpitating, or why his entire face is red. He isn’t sure why his stomach is doing flips, or the reason for his suddenly sweaty hands - is he sick? He’s never felt these feelings before, and yet every time Juyeon just speaks, looking at him with such affection in his eyes, Hyunjae feels this way.

 _‘He’s a good actor,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, smiling weakly at both Younghoon and Changmin. _‘He could’ve fooled me into believing he really meant everything he said.’_

The omega looks back up at Juyeon, and the younger is smiling down at him. He squeezes Hyunjae’s hand, before squeezing it three times in succession. Hyunjae looks at him, confused, but Juyeon only smiles, before letting go of the omega’s hand, as Younghoon starts speaking again.

“Oh! Did Haknyeon start telling you about the festivities?” he asks, and Hyunjae has to shake his head to clear away the questions and confused emotions he has lingering. “He mentioned something about it, but I’m not too sure what it’s going to entail,”

“Seriously? God, Hyunjae, you’re the crown prince, how can you not know this?!” Younghoon says, and Hyunjae sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “It sounds familiar, but I honestly don’t remember. I guess it’s because I never really thought I would end up with an alpha,” he says, glancing a look at Juyeon again.

Younghoon lets out a big sigh, shaking his head in disbelief. Luckily, Changmin comes to Hyunjae’s aid, as he explains “It’s going to be a week or so of celebration - the event is usually huge for royalty, especially as you’re the one and only heir to the throne. It’s not supposed to happen until after you two, uhm,” Changmin looks at the two before awkwardly saying “...are together, but they’re probably going to want to start the planning now.”

“Are you saying that they won’t commence until we’re mated?” Hyunjae asks and Younghoon rolls his eyes. “What did you think? After mister tall and handsome over there marks you, the wedding will kick off the festivities - and the following week will be just a lot of celebration across the kingdom. Hope you don’t have stage fright,” Younghoon aims the last part towards Juyeon. “There’s going to be practically everyone in the kingdom at your wedding.”

Hyunjae’s mind is whirling. He didn’t expect this and okay, this is kind of bad. His plan is falling apart at the seams if this is what it entails, and he only can feel sorry for Juyeon, for looping him into this without his consent. God, he feels horrible

Thankfully, Hyunjae isn’t going to have to mentally freak out and pretend not to, because Younghoon is checking the time before patting Changmin’s shoulder. “Hey, sorry to cut things short, but we actually have an appointment scheduled soon. I uh, I promised Changmin’s mother we would help her with some things around the house,” Younghoon says and Hyunjae looks up at the two, feeling something akin to envy coil in his stomach at the way Changmin clings to Younghoon’s arm, looking all too happy.

“Oh yeah, you guys should get going. We should probably...you know...settle in and stuff,” Hyunjae says, waving his hand in the general direction of Juyeon, and Changmin bows to both of them, making Hyunjae awkwardly return the gesture. “We should do this again! Maybe a double date in the future!” he exclaims, and Hyunjae has to give a forced smile, as he nods.

His brain is overworking. He can feel the panic starting to set in, and he balls his hands into a fist as he plasters that smile on his lips, nodding and waving as Younghoon and Changmin leave. Hyunjae is so unhearing to his surroundings, that he almost doesn’t notice Juyeon calling his name, not until the alpha is slipping his hand into Hyunjae’s and breaking him out of his trance.

“Juyeon,” Hyunjae breathes, turning to face the alpha. He has a worried look on his face as he asks, “Are you okay?” voice gentle and low. Hyunjae worries his bottom lip, about to say “I’m fine” on instinct, but the look in Juyeon’s eyes and the gentle way he’s rubbing his thumb over Hyunjae’s hand has the omega crumbling.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Juyeonnie. This is so unfair to you, and I had no idea this would happen, and I don’t want to force you to mate me, and-” Hyunjae cuts himself off as he feels the familiar sting of tears behind his eyes, and the omega curses himself for being such an emotional wreck. Juyeon really does deserve better than him, an omega who got too ahead of himself trying to play hero.

And then Hyunjae is being embraced by the alpha and time seems to stop. The warmth of Juyeon’s body, and the solid firmness of his muscled chest and arms surrounding him is just so very comforting and _safe_. The omega inside of Hyunjae is practically purring in delight at how Juyeon is hugging him, so very protectively as if he was trying to do more than just comfort Hyunjae in this moment.

“You don’t have to be sorry, hyung. None of this is your fault,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae can feel tears approaching once again at the alpha’s words. “Juyeon-”

“You’re doing your best. And there’s nothing more that anyone could ask of you. You did what you deemed to be the best in your position, and we’ll figure this out together, okay?” Juyeon says, as he draws back slightly to look at Hyunjae in the eye. The prince is sniffling slightly as he swipes at his eyes, but nods. “Thank you.”

Juyeon smiles softly at the omega, before saying, “You called me Juyeonnie, just now,” he comments, still holding the omega loosely. Hyunjae finds he wants to bury himself in Juyeon’s chest again and just inhale his comforting scent, but holds himself back as he wipes his eyes absently, saying, “Did I?”

“Yeah. You haven’t called me that since we were kids,” Juyeon says, watching the omega carefully. Hyunjae looks up at the alpha, before he says, “I-is that okay? Did you not want me to call you that?” he asks and Juyeon immediately flusters, shaking his head. “No! I mean, it’s fine! I, uh...I like it, actually,” Juyeon says and Hyunjae smiles at how cute he is.

“It just… reminds me of when we were little,” Juyeon confesses, rubbing the back of his neck. Hyunjae smiles at the redness of his ears, before he says, “Alright, Juyeonnie,” making the alpha look up at him with a smile and bright eyes, causing the omega to laugh.

 _‘Maybe this won’t be too bad,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he takes Juyeon’s hands into his. The alpha’s hands seem huge in comparison to his, and he smiles down at the size difference. _‘Juyeon’s right. We’ll figure this out, somehow. Together.’_

Even though he still feels a bit bad for forcing Juyeon to act like a couple with him for the next month or so, Hyunjae has to admit, he kind of likes it - not that he would ever say that outloud.

He loves the warmth of Juyeon’s hands in his, the weight and feeling of _rightness_ that he has when he’s holding Juyeon’s hand. Hyunjae looks away from the alpha, not wanting to let him see how red he is from simple hand holding, the action making Juyeon smile fondly at the omega, as he squeezes his hand once, gaining Hyunjae’s attention back to him.

“Cute,” Juyeon mumbled, as he looked at the prince’s reaction, the one word only causing Hyunjae to redden even further. “S-shut up,” he stuttered out, walking away from the alpha, but at the same time, not letting go of his hand.

Hyunjae doesn’t see the lovesick smile on Juyeon’s face, nor the way the alpha looks at Hyunjae like he’s his most precious thing.


	2. I'm lingering near you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than the previous one but the next is super long lol so hopefully that makes up for it! Also once again, beta-d and edited by our lovely anon, who catches all the stupid mistakes and makes the fic more legible haha ^^
> 
> See you all next Wednesday!

After a day full of Hyunjae running around the palace, with Juyeon in tow as he was forced to introduce him to people, the two awkwardly smiling and holding hands (though Hyunjae did have to admit the hand holding helped a little bit) it was finally over. At least, for that day, it was over.

Hyunjae groaned as he rubbed his temples. His face muscles hurt from forcing himself to fake smiles as others cooed over Juyeon, some talking about the alpha as if he wasn’t there or was a new pet that Hyunjae got (which was disgusting - Hyunjae felt like he had to apologize to Juyeon on their behalf afterwards, but the sweet alpha would only reply with, “It’s not your fault that they’re so narrow-minded. You have nothing to apologize for, hyung,”) and others seeming to size him up, unashamedly checking the alpha out.

Oddly enough, Hyunjae didn’t get a chance to see Chanhee, but the prince chalked it up to the younger being busy with his own alpha. He was almost certain he would have to physically restrain himself from punching his cousin in the face once he sees his smug ‘I-told-you-so’ shit-eating grin, so the other omega’s presence wasn’t missed at all.

Being so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he doesn’t even stop to think until both him and Juyeon (who’s taken to trailing behind him like some lost puppy) are in his own chambers and he suddenly stops. _Oh._

His face immediately heats up at the sight before him. Rose petals sprinkle the room, including the bed, and there’s a warm glow being emitted from the soft lighting of the multiple candles littering the space. Hyunjae groans as he immediately thinks back to Haknyeon’s mention of “getting your chambers ready!” (he had assumed it would be getting them another bed, or something.)

“Well. This is certainly unexpected,” Juyeon says from behind him, and Hyunjae shakes his head, ignoring the rose petals, as he goes to the bathroom. “I need a shower. I can’t believe Haknyeon would do this,” Hyunjae mumbles the second part under his breath as he begins to brush his teeth, angrily going over to his closet to grab a change of clothes.

He watches Juyeon as the alpha approaches the bed, before he starts pushing the rose petals off the bed, the sight making Hyunjae laugh a bit to himself. With his huge hands sweeping the rose petals off the white sheets, it makes a somewhat comical sight to the omega - or maybe he was just going crazy at this point.

 _‘It’s a miracle I made it this long with my sanity still intact,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he enters back into the bathroom, and starts to wash up and get ready for bed.

The shower helps him relax as he cranks the heat up to the point where his skin is red once he leaves the cubicle - as well as steam coating the mirror, which the prince pays no mind to as he dries himself off and does his skincare routine (which is a bit excessive, but Hyunjae values his skin over practically everything else) before exiting the bathroom in his sleep wear.

He pauses when he sees Juyeon sitting on the couch at the foot of his bed. He almost opens his mouth to ask why he’s still awake when it hits him. 

_‘There’s only one bed,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he glances over at his king-sized bed. He looks back at Juyeon, the alpha seemingly embarrassed to say anything, as his cheeks are slightly red, and he’s rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Hyunjae lets out a sigh. _‘It just never ends, does it?’_ he thinks, as he walks over to the bed.

He doesn’t say anything yet and he can tell Juyeon is staring at him, probably wondering if Hyunjae will even address this awkward situation, when the omega comes over to him, the tub of cream prescribed by the doctor in hand. Juyeon blinks at the sight as Hyunjae unscrews the lid, sitting beside the alpha, and wordlessly starting to rub the cream into his skin around his neck.

Juyeon opens his mouth to say something, but Hyunjae only continues to rub the redden skin, which already looks so much better after being freed from that useless collar. The prince’s heart hurts to think of Juyeon being treated so roughly for no reason, and he finds himself getting lost in thought as he dips his fingers back into the pot of salve to continue treating the alpha.

It’s only when he’s face to face with the alpha once more, the two mere milimetres away from one another does Hyunjae remember that _yes,_ Juyeon is supposed to be mating him as they sit here. The thought has his cheeks turning red but one look at the alpha, who’s been watching him this entire time, eyes on the omega’s form and looking at him with such _softness_ in his eyes, has Hyunjae clearing his throat awkwardly.

He finishes up the rest of the skin much quicker, mumbling something about having to wash his hands, before running to the bathroom and letting himself _breathe._

 _‘Lee Hyunjae! You’re here to give your best friend his life back, nothing more!’_ He yells at himself mentally, eyes closing with frustration. He takes a moment to compose himself, dispelling any thought of Juyeon’s gentle eyes, his warm skin, and his attractive, warm scent, and instead schools his features as he re-enters the bedroom.

He walks back to the bed, avoiding eye contact with the alpha the entire way, before realizing that this is all so stupid. He stares at the back of Juyeon’s head for a moment, gathering his courage, before calling out, breaking the building tension before it got too intimidating.

“What’re you sitting there for?” He asks Juyeon, and the alpha jumps as he turns to look at the omega. Juyeon is timidly playing with the sleeve of his shirt as he says “I didn’t want to intrude on your personal space, I can just sleep on the sofa-”

Hyunjae cuts him off with a scoff. “There’s no way you’ll be comfortable sleeping on the sofa for the rest of your time here. Just sleep on the bed with me. It’s plenty big enough for both of us,” Hyunjae says, trying to ignore the fact he’s basically asking Juyeon to sleep with him (even though it’s in a totally platonic way and he definitely does NOT mean it in anything else but a strictly platonic sense. At least, that’s what he tells himself).

He watches the alpha get up from the sofa, and walk over to the other side of the bed, and Hyunjae tries not to make it awkward as he climbs onto the mattress, ensuring he’s sticking to his side of the bed, as close to the edge as physically possible without falling off.

There’s a moment of silence, before he hears Juyeon doing the same. Just a peak over his shoulder and he spots the alpha also clinging to the very edge of the bed, both of them with their backs turned to each other. Hyunjae hates the awkward tension in the air, and he clears his throat before saying, “You should get some sleep. God knows that there’s probably going to be even more people and things to do than compared to today,” he says, and Juyeon hums, before saying, “You worked hard today, hyung. Good night.”

The small comment has Hyunjae’s heart pounding in his chest. He doesn’t know why it makes him feel so warm inside, but he swallows down any other noises that threaten to leave him as he forces out a “‘Night,” and shuts his eyes tightly, trying to will himself to sleep.

And while the omega initially thought it would be a painfully slow night of himself lying in the dark with his eyes closed, he finds himself knocking out fairly quickly, probably due to all the events of the day. But he’s woken up at one point during the night to the sounds of whimpering and sheets rustling.

Blinking blearily, Hyunjae sits up, looking to the source of his sound, and his eyes widen when he sees Juyeon thrashing in his sleep. The alpha’s features are scrunched up, a look of anguish on his face as his arms move as if defending himself, one hand scrambling at his neck, touching the red mark.

Even though the prince has heard of the saying not to wake up anyone from a nightmare, he doesn’t know what else to do, and scoots over to the younger alpha, touching him lightly at first and calling out a soft, “Juyeon!” before he shakes him slightly, and calls his name louder.

The alpha wakes up with a start, sitting up suddenly and breathing heavily, eyes frantic as he takes in the room around him, and Hyunjae raises his hands on impulse, showing him that he means no harm. “Hey, relax, it’s just me,” he says, and Juyeon’s eyes are still shaking as he looks at Hyunjae for a moment, before whispering out, “Hyunjae hyung?”

“Yeah, it’s just me, Juyeonnie,” the omega says, reaching out tentatively to hold his hand. The alpha reciprocates immediately, grip tightening around the omega’s hand, fingers laced together. Hyunjae swallows around the knot in his throat as he softly asks, “Bad dream?”

Juyeon just nods, a breath leaving him. He doesn’t offer any other information, and Hyunjae carefully prods, asking, “...Do you want to talk about it?”

The alpha’s mouth opens, before shutting. Hyunjae doesn’t push, only waiting, as he traces soft circles on the skin of the younger’s hand, eyes trying to convey that he’s ready to listen if he needs it. Eventually, Juyeon speaks.

“It was just...about the facility. Past owners. Stuff like that,” the alpha doesn’t elaborate, but based on the way his voice trembles ever so slightly, Hyunjae’s heart squeezes for the younger. He reaches forwards to embrace him, saying, “Oh, Juyeonnie,” trying to offer what comfort he can. Juyeon hugs him back tightly, fingers still laced between them, as Hyunjae rubs his other hand down the alpha’s back comfortingly. Neither of them say anything in the darkness of the night, as they sit like that for what feels like both hours and yet only seconds.

Despite trying to be the one to offer comfort, Hyunjae finds himself starting to feel drowsy in the arms of the younger. Juyeon’s arms are just so very warm, and safe, and the firmness of his chest along with the sound of his heartbeat slowing down is so very comforting to the prince - and he finds himself dipping his head down slightly to breath in the warm, woody scent of the alpha that can’t be described in any other way aside from _home_. 

Luckily, either Juyeon gets the hint that Hyunjae is on the brink of knocking out or has just decided lying down would be better, because he pulls away slightly from the prince, the loss of warmth effectively waking Hyunjae up as he blinks at the alpha, eyes more awake.

“Thank you, hyung,” Juyeon mumbles, and Hyunjae smiles warmly, hoping his blush isn’t evident in the darkness of the room. “No problem,” he replies, before they’re awkwardly shuffling over to their respective parts of the bed. But in a split second decision, Hyunjae finds himself reaching out across the empty expanse between them, catching Juyeon’s hand before he can turn onto his side, the action getting the alpha’s attention.

“Good night, Juyeonnie,” he says, smiling warmly, before closing his eyes while still holding onto his hand. Juyeon visibly relaxes, as he smiles back into the stillness of the air.

“Good night, hyung.”

* * *

Hyunjae is sitting down at his desk in his office with a loud sigh. His head is pounding and it’s only half past noon.

His hand goes up to touch the nape of his neck instinctively, a blush rising to his face when he remembers the events of that morning - namely, being rudely woken up by Haknyeon at 7 AM, the beta yelling, only to snicker silently when he spotted the alpha spooning the omega, Hyunjae himself unaware until Haknyeon screeching had woken him up.

The warmth of Juyeon’s body around him made getting out of bed so very difficult - especially since the alpha was such a deep sleeper, that even the screaming of Haknyeon wasn’t enough to wake him up. And the iron grip he had around Hyunjae’s waist, the alpha’s big hand somehow finding its way under Hyunjae’s shirt and pressing flat against his stomach rendered the prince unable to move. But the part that turned Hyunjae beet red was Juyeon with his face against the back of Hyunjae’s neck, head tilted downwards and lips pressed firmly against the nape of Hyunjae’s neck; an action so miniscule yet so very _intimate_ , that Hyunjae was kicking Juyeon awake himself.

After a rushed breakfast and getting ready, Haknyeon had ushered Juyeon off, saying that he needed to be fitted for multiple things and be brought to etiquette lessons - something Hyunjae was rolling his eyes at but was also slightly worried about, until the alpha was nudging him with his shoulder saying, “I’ll be fine,” with a smile that seemed to reach his eyes more than the reassuring ones he gave Hyunjae yesterday.

And so here Hyunjae was, after being forced to meet with official after official, and signing multiple papers, with some time for himself after having a quick lunch. Though to be honest, his “time for himself” would probably be spent reading up on the books Haknyeon had dumped on his desk earlier that day - all about alphas and what to expect.

It’s not that Hyunjae doesn’t know. Okay, well yeah, he _doesn’t know_ , but the fact of the matter was that he didn’t think he would have to know. After all, this was taught to him when he was 14, and he had no real interest in alphas - Younghoon could attest to the fact Hyunjae spent those classes doodling in his notebooks and daydreaming out the window. He never thought he would end up with one.

So after a moment of staring at his desk blankly, Hyunjae is reaching over to the first book in the big pile, pulling to himself, and starting to read.

Most of it was common knowledge - alphas were known to be very emotionally driven, as well as temperamental and aggressive when provoked, especially regarding their mates. It wasn’t until Hyunjae reached the section on anatomy that he paused. The sheer number of different phallic pictures decorating the page was enough to make even a porn star blush, and Hyunjae is quickly skimming his eyes over the words, wanting nothing more than to move on. Though he finds himself actually reading this part - learning about...well, alphas and their...mini-alphas…

 _The average alpha member is much larger than any other, as it is purposed for breeding and pleasure_. Hyunjae looks over at the obnoxiously large penis drawn next to the sentence, eyes rolling as he continues to read. 

_Alphas can ejaculate in two ways - by knotting or without. Knotting occurs only with those an alpha feels comfortable and romantically attracted to. The process can take up to an hour for the knot to completely go down, with continuous or spaced out semen ejaculation into their partner._ The omega’s eyes widens at the words. A whole hour? Stuck on an alpha’s cock? Being continuously filled up with cum? His own asshole hurts at the mere thought. _‘Cleaning that shit up must be a bitch,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he eyes the overly detailed drawing of a penis with a large knob at the very base.

_If an alpha does not knot, their arousal will continue for much longer - the average ejaculation count for an alpha who is not knotting their desired partner is anywhere from 4 - 7 times. Knotting can occur midway through this process, as some alphas can control whether or not to knot their partner._

Hyunjae’s head is spinning. Why is alpha sex so difficult? 

The prince turns the page, skimming over more sex-talk, before stopping at one concerning marking. Ah yes, the process every omega dreams of going through - the claiming bite.

_Located a few inches above the clavicle, and on top the jugular is the place most commonly marked by alphas. By biting their desired mate and injecting them with their own pheromones, alphas can lay claim upon their partner this way._

Hyunjae’s hand flies up to the spot on his neck instinctively. He can’t imagine Juyeon biting him - even if this was supposed to be an act of love, the whole thing just seems so… animalistic to the prince. He isn’t even sure if he _wants_ Juyeon to bite him - would that mess the whole process up? Would they still bond? Would Juyeon even want to have Hyunjae as his mate?

The prince shakes his head, trying to chase away all the questions that threaten to eat him alive. He can’t afford to get distracted, not with an upcoming meeting he has in less than a few hours. He needs to cram as much information into his brain as he can in the time he has left.

Flipping through the pages much faster, Hyunjae finds himself at the section about the so-called “inner-alpha”. The violent, rage-fueled animal within each alpha that only ever makes an appearance when an alpha loses control over themselves.

Hyunjae’s mind immediately goes back to that moment at the facility. Red eyes. Claws. What seemed to be elongated teeth. He couldn’t believe that Juyeon, his sweet, gentle, kind and soft-spoken Juyeon would be capable of such things,

 _‘What horrors have you been through to make you like this?’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he closes the book, eyes distant. He reaches over to place it back with the others, when he accidentally brushes a file off his desk in the process, and the prince freezes in place when he sees what it is.

 _‘Juyeon’s file,’_ Hyunjae’s brain supplies for him, as he stares down at the papers that had fallen out of the manila file on the floor. Half of him wants nothing more than to read the entire thing, yet half of him also feels as if this was an invasion of privacy. Juyeon obviously isn’t ready to tell Hyunjae about what had happened in there - and really, is it any of Hyunjae’s business?

 _‘He’s not some pet. He’s a human being, with his own thoughts and feelings and agency. I can’t just… invade his privacy like this,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he bends over to pick up the papers. But then one paper in particular caught the omega’s eye, and he couldn’t help as he brings it closer to his face to read.

_-was returned due to multiple instances of rage induced moments of feral transformation. Customer also reported inability to bond and/or train alpha as alpha would not cooperate. Customer attempted use of electro-shock therapy and-_

Hyunjae immediately stops reading after those words. His hand clasps itself over his own mouth, heart pounding. 

_‘Oh my god,’_ is the only thing that rings in his head. His vision is swimming in front of him as he drops the paper. The mere thought of Juyeon, Juyeon who was so accommodating and adorable, Juyeon who looks at Hyunjae was such softness in his eyes, Juyeon who is just the definition of mate-worthy material - being subjected to something so _cruel_ and _horrible_ as electro-shock?

He doesn’t even notice he’s crying until the tears are touching his lips, the saltiness of his own tears causing him to wipe at his cheeks furiously. 

_‘Therapy’_ is what his mind thinks immediately. _‘Juyeon doesn’t need to be thrown into this mess I’ve made, what he needs is to talk to someone,’_ Hyunjae buries his hands in his hair. _‘But what if he isn’t ready? I can’t force him to do it. Hell, I shouldn’t even know about this! What do I tell him? What do I say to the therapist? I can’t make decisions for him but not doing anything makes me feel like shit even more-”_ his train of thought is broken as the resounding sound of a knock echoes through the office that suddenly feels too big to Hyunjae.

“Your highness? I have a couple of proposals sent to you from the counsel regarding the meeting,” he hears, and Hyunjae is straightening up, combing his fingers through his hair and wiping at his face as he clears his throat. 

“Yes, bring them in,” he calls out, willing his voice not to shake. He smiles politely at the woman who brings them in, trying to listen to what she says about each document. He prays she doesn’t notice how badly his hands are shaking under the table, nor the file that is on his lap, the manila folder dotted with tear stains.

* * *

Juyeon stares down at the multiple utensils in front of him, trying to remember which one to use for which occasion. He can’t believe there are so many variations of a fork.

“Juyeon! You’ve been working hard, let’s take a break,” Haknyeon says, probably sensing the alpha’s confusion. Grateful, Juyeon smiles as he nods, leaning back into his chair. 

While the palace is certainly busy, and this life is vastly different from what he is used to, Juyeon finds he doesn’t mind it much. Perhaps it’s because he finally feels like he can be himself, for once - or maybe it’s due to a certain omega who blushes so very prettily anytime Juyeon compliments him, or for the silliest reasons. 

He stares down at his hands as he thinks back to the way Hyunjae just entwined their fingers so casually. The smile he offered him in the middle of the night, the way he let him hug him until he was ready to sleep again. Juyeon wonders if the prince felt as flustered as he did by all these small actions - wonders if he harbours any feelings at all for him.

“Juyeon?” 

He looks up at Haknyeon, who’s watching him with this look in his eye. “Ah, yes?”

Haknyeon pauses as he opens his mouth to speak, before closing it. He lets out a breath before saying “It’s nothing. Just… you looked a bit pensive. Anything on your mind?”

The alpha pauses, Haknyeon’s words catching him off guard. “Huh?” he replies, quite unintelligently. Haknyeon smiles at this as he says, “You want to talk about something? Just to...get it off your chest? Like how you’re feeling, being immersed into all of this all of a sudden.”

Juyeon blinks at Haknyeon. Never has he been asked about how he felt, about how he was doing. It had always been about the master, about the owner, about what they wanted him to do. Never has he been treated like this.

“It’s...different. A bit overwhelming at times, but doable,” he replies, honestly. Haknyeon seems to sense he has more to say, as he just nods, encouraging him to continue talking.

“Hyunjae hyung is really doing his best to help me feel more comfortable which is really sweet. I mean, he’s always been like that, so I really shouldn’t be surprised,” Juyeon says, and Haknyeon laughs. “I know what you mean. He can be a handful at times, but he’s got a heart of gold,” the beta replies, smiling.

“This… might sound a bit weird but… do you know of anything that Hyunjae might like?” Juyeon asks, and Haknyeon smiles brightly. “You mean like a present? Or a date?” he asks excitedly. Juyeon lets out a small laugh as he rubs the back of his neck. “Both?” 

The beta practically beams as he claps his hands excitedly. “You’re adorable, you want to plan a little surprise gift slash date for Hyunjae?” he asks and Juyeon nods shyly, making Haknyeon squeal. 

“I just wanted to give back to him for being so... nice and welcoming,” Juyeon says, carefully omitting the part about wanting to attempt to woo Hyunjae over. After all, they’re supposed to be a loving couple, though Juyeon feels as if Haknyeon would understand if he were to tell him about this predicament. He doesn’t, though, since Hyunjae seems so adamant about it being kept a secret.

“I know just the thing. And I’ll help you set it all up too!” Haknyeon exclaims, and Juyeon smiles, genuinely, as he nods. He can’t wait to do something in return for his precious Hyunjae hyung, to show him just how much he means to him and how much he adores him.

* * *

It had taken almost the entire hour for Hyunjae’s hands to stop shaking. But despite all the emotional turmoil he had, the omega knew he had duties to attend to, which is why he’s taking a deep breath before stepping into the meeting room.

The room is filled with other nobles and royal advisors, all much older than Hyunjae. Men and women alike are sitting around the rectangular table which filled the room, as Hyunjae makes his way to the head, taking his place at the platform that his father would usually sit on.

Ever since he was young, Hyunjae had been good at problem solving, which is why his father entrusted him at an early age with dealing with the council when it came to decisions regarding their kingdom and dealing with foreign and domestic affairs. Of course, Hyunjae soon realized that his father had dumped this responsibility onto him because it was dreadfully boring and complicated. Making everyone happy is virtually impossible, but Hyunjae has learned to ignore the disgruntled looks of the elders who were unhappy with his decisions, as well as the over eager obvious joy of those who were pleased. Showing favoritism would only serve to bite him later on.

“What are the urgent matters for today?” Hyunjae asks as he settles down onto his seat. He forces himself to push away all thoughts of Juyeon, as he collects himself, putting forth the cool and rational facade of crown prince Hyunjae.

“Your highness, we must discuss the threat that the kingdom to the North poses to us; it is with great urgency I request we start with this topic.”

Hyunjae recognizes the voice easily. He doesn’t even have to look to know that it’s coming from his uncle, a high ranking nobleman by the name of Lee Kyungrok. He’s his father’s younger brother, a beta, who has always opposed the fact that Hyunjae was able to rule the council instead of him.

“For what reason? We have had good relations with Cadnina for many seasons,” Hyunjae asks, as he opens up the file placed before him. He looks over the information briefly as his uncle begins to speak.

“Spies from that wretched land have been found inside our borders. It is obvious they wish to invade our lands and take over the entirety of this great kingdom of Trinity Basilica Zephyr! If we wish to protect our land, we must strike first!”

“Your highness, there is no reason for us to go to war; Cadnina has proven to be a good ally,” a woman calls out. Hyunjae recognizes her as Kim Taehee, a more level-headed royal advisor who Hyunjae had to admit he has taken a liking to for her innovative and diplomatic ideas. Hyunjae gives her a nod as a sign of acknowledgement as he turns back to his uncle.

“What proof do you have to back your claims, Kyungrok-sshi?” he asks, ensuring to keep his voice level and calm. He watches as the man gestures to one of the servants standing by the side, and a small, nervous looking omega rushes forward with a box.

Kyungrok opens it and pulls out a torn piece of what Hyunjae recognizes as an emblem that had been stitched onto a piece of fabric. The crest is that of their neighbours to the North, and while there are some murmurs that arise in the room, Hyunjae isn’t bothered.

“Where was this found?” he asks and Kyungrok is quick to answer “by the border, your highness,”

“This doesn’t prove anything. An embassy from Cadnina had recently traveled from their lands to ours and back just a few weeks ago. It could’ve been from them,” Taehee says, and Hyunjae has to admit she has a point. The piece of evidence his uncle has produced isn’t very compelling, nor is it reason enough to attack a neighbouring kingdom with which they are allies with.

“Is this all?” is what Hyunjae asks, and judging by the way his uncle’s mouth opens and closes a few times, Hyunjae waves his hand. “This is most likely from the said embassy as Taehee-sshi has mentioned. Even then, spies from Cadnina would not dare to cross into our territory carrying anything that would link them back to their kingdom. We will keep an eye on them as we always have, but this is far from reason to launch an attack,”

He can already tell his uncle is enraged. _‘The man acts like a spoiled child when he doesn’t get his way,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he clears his throat, preparing to move onto the next topic. His uncle has always been so quick to jump to conclusions, the type to punch first and ask questions later, which is why Hyunjae pays the man no mind and instead moves forwards with the meeting. 

The rest of the meeting with the council is rather dull. Having mostly to do with distribution of resources to poorer regions and decisions that really mattered as little as having an apple versus a banana for a snack, Hyunjae was tempted to tell them to decide among themselves for many of the cases. It was only when the clock finally struck the top of the hour once more, did Hyunjae let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and dismissed the council, standing up to stretch his legs briefly before setting off.

He did his best to avoid his uncle on his way out, a forced polite smile on his lips as he slipped by other counsel members, not wanting to be caught by the old fart - if it wasn’t for the fact that he was related to the older beta, he would suggest having him kicked off the counsel for good. There really wasn’t much he was contributing to the discussions, with his decisions being unreasonable and rash.

Setting a quick pace, Hyunjae drops by his office once more to gather some files he needs to read for tomorrow, but pauses when he catches sight of the manila folder, still sitting at the corner of his desk, the couple of tear stains still visible. His throat closes up again at the mere sight of it, and picks it up gingerly, before placing it into the drawer of his desk, ensuring to lock it after it closes.

 _‘I’m such an idiot for even thinking of reading it,’_ Hyunjae tells himself as he locks the door to his office before setting off once more. The sound of his shoes hitting the marble floor of the palace is loud as he makes his way for his room. _‘I have no idea what to do with this information. I should've told Haknyeon to store the file away in the archives.’_

The thought of the file lingered in the back of Hyunjae’s mind the entire meeting, but with the distraction of having to pay attention to something else gone, Hyunjae finds himself back to obsessing over what he should do with this information. 

_‘Is the best course of action in this case to do nothing?’_ he wonders to himself, worrying his bottom lip. After seeing how Juyeon acts and talks about his past along with what he read in that small segment, Hyunjae feels like he has to do _something_. But that would involve him having to admit to Juyeon he read his file - something that Hyunjae didn’t want to do as this was obviously a private and personal matter.

 _‘How can I explain I read it by accident? Will he even believe me if I say that? He could just not care too - there always is that possibility. But what are the chances of that?’_ Hyunjae wonders if he and Juyeon had kept in touch all the years that they were separated if he wouldn’t have felt as bad. If they were still as close as they were when they were little children, if he wouldn’t feel as guilty. Guilty for reading something he shouldn’t have, but also guilty for not being able to prevent those things from happening in the first place.

 _‘I would definitely feel uncomfortable if a stranger read about my past without my consent, even if it was just mundane stuff about my childhood.’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, but pauses. Him and Juyeon, while _yes_ , they haven’t been in touch for how long, they weren’t complete strangers. Despite how much time had passed, how much they’ve both changed, Juyeon still is that same boy that Hyunjae had a crush on when he was little, the same boy that made it hard for little Hyunjae to fall asleep with excitement to see him again, the same boy that never failed to make Hyunjae smile.

And for some reason, the thought of Juyeon reading up on his past doesn’t seem to bother him as much - though Hyunjae shakes his head to chase the thoughts away. _‘Just because I feel this way, that doesn’t mean he would as well. My feelings and experiences are nothing close to what he’s been through.’_

Just as he thinks this, he turns the corner to spot the very alpha he was thinking about, talking with Haknyeon as they walk down the hall. Hyunjae’s mouth involuntarily curves up into a smile when Juyeon looks in his direction, the alpha visibly brightening when he spots the prince.

“Hyung!” 

Hyunjae can’t help the way he laughs when he sees Juyeon waving excitedly, smiling. It reminds him so much of when they were younger, how Juyeon would always barrel towards Hyunjae with no reservations, the biggest grin on his face, and arms outstretched, oftentimes yelling “Hyunggg!” as he went.

“Hello, Juyeonnie. Did your lessons with Haknyeon go well?” he asks, looking at the beta. Juyeon smiles and nods as Hyunjae comes to a stop in front of them, the beta commenting, “He had a lot to learn but catches on quickly. I was worried we would have to spend everyday up until the festivals started on etiquette skills, but at the pace he’s going, it’ll only have to be a few times a week,” Haknyeon states and Hyunjae smiles as he looks at Juyeon, lacing this fingers together as he says “Good job!”

Haknyeon, being the astute beta he is, smiles as he says “I have some other things to tend to. Dinner is in an hour.” he reminds them, as he starts to walk away. “Make sure to be down at the dining hall by then!”

Juyeon nods, still smiling brightly like an overeager puppy as Hyunjae opens the door to their shared chambers, putting the files down at the desk as Juyeon follows him in, going to lie on the bed. He’s still smiling as he watches Hyunjae just organize his files, and the omega looks over, finding himself unable to hold back his own smile. “You’re in a good mood,” he states.

“Just talked about some stuff with Haknyeon. He gave me a lot of good ideas and advice,” the alpha says, and if Hyunjae wasn’t so distracted with the way his mind was whirling, he would’ve questioned what exactly the alpha meant by that. But instead, Hyunjae is trying to calm himself down, as he comes to sit on the edge of the bed next to the alpha.

Juyeon is looking up at Hyunjae, eyes big and curious, and the prince can’t help but smile as he gazes down at him, before he’s going to brush Juyeon’s dark blue locks out of his face. It’s automatic, the way he starts to comb his fingers through Juyeon’s soft hair; the action feels so natural, that he doesn’t even realize what he’s doing until Juyeon is staring back up at him, ears red and eyes wide.

“T-that feels really nice,” Juyeon says before Hyunjae can move his hand. The alpha is gazing up at Hyunjae with what looks to be trepidation but also something very similar to adoration in his eyes, and the prince can’t help but smile at the expression as he says, “It’s nice to just run my fingers through your hair as well. It’s really soft,” and neither of them say anything for a moment, as Hyunjae continues to comb his fingers through Juyeon’s hair, smoothing out any tangles, and the alpha closing his eyes in what looks to be content as Hyunjae continues to do so.

For a brief moment, the prince thinks that it would be much nicer for Juyeon to have his head in his lap, but he shakes the thought away, as he mentally berates himself. _‘That would be too intimate,’_ he tells himself, though for some reason, he finds that he doesn’t quite care about that fact - rather, he would enjoy having the weight of Juyeon’s head in his lap as the alpha dozes peacefully, Hyunjae raking his fingers through his soft hair.

“Juyeonnie,” Hyunjae says, voice barely above a whisper, as he breaks the silence in the room. Juyeon’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of his name, as he hums in answer, looking up at the omega as the prince smiles, removing his hands from the silkiness of his hair.

“What has life been like for you in the time we were apart?”

Juyeon pauses and Hyunjae is quick to elaborate. “It’s just that, I was thinking, and I realized while we do know a lot about each other, there is a big gap missing. I...I would like to re-learn everything about my best friend, again,” Hyunjae says, ignoring the way his stomach twists in a weird way when he says the words ‘best friend’. 

The alpha doesn’t say anything for a moment and Hyunjae holds his breath, wondering if maybe he crossed the line. When he opens his mouth to apologize, however, Juyeon sits up, and gives him a small smile, as he takes one of Hyunjae’s hands into his own. “What would you like to know?”

Hyunjae lifts a shoulder, trying not to look nervous. “Anything,” he mumbles, avoiding direct eye contact with the alpha. He stares at their hands instead, the way Juyeon’s big ones play with his own smaller ones, tangling their fingers together and stroking the space between his thumb and index finger.

There’s another moment of silence, in which Hyunjae risks a look up at the alpha. Juyeon’s lips are pursed as he looks down at their hands, and Hyunjae doesn’t say anything until the alpha is looking up at him again, and speaking. “There isn’t a lot to say outside of what I told Younghoon hyung the other day. My childhood was roughly the same as here, aside from the fact you weren’t there. I guess I didn’t have anyone to follow around anymore,” he comments, the words making Hyunjae’s stomach do this weird flip. “But aside from that, there wasn’t anything different. I grew up. I got submitted to an alpha facility at the age of 18. Moved around a bit, and ended up here,” he says, and Hyunjae is very careful when he asks the next question.

“What were your past… _masters_ like?” 

The question hangs heavily in the air for a moment, and Hyunjae is watching the younger closely, breath bated, before Juyeon suddenly laughs, and says “Nothing like you. They couldn’t have compared to all the things you do for me,” as he looks over at Hyunjae. His eyes are doing that _thing_ again, where they look at him with such softness in them, and Hyunjae is biting his bottom lip when he finds himself trapped in his gaze once more, his own eyes wide.

“T-there really isn’t a lot I’ve done for you,” Hyunjae starts to say but Juyeon laughs, shaking his head. “Don’t say that. There’s so much that you’ve done for me in just the past two days I’ve been here. In more ways than one,” 

The way Juyeon squeezes Hyunjae’s hand in that moment makes the omega blush heavily as he feels like the alpha is smothering him with attention. He avoids eye contact, his face burning as he stares literally anywhere but at the younger, when he hears him say, “And what about you?”

“What?”

“What was your life like, after I left?” Juyeon asks, and Hyunjae suddenly remembers the entire _reason_ he had brought up this topic. But with the way Juyeon doesn’t seem to want to share more, conveniently glossing over any details and specifics, Hyunjae realizes what he feared was true; Juyeon really wasn’t ready to talk about his past, and the fact that the prince _knew_ without his consent had him feeling truly awful.

So instead, Hyunjae swallows his guilt and tries not to let it show on his face, as he shoves the thought away and instead tries to recall his childhood. With the expectant and warm look in Juyeon’s eyes, Hyunjae does his best to satisfy his curiosity.

“It was… well, different, I guess. I got a lot closer to Younghoon in the following years.” Hyunjae starts and Juyeon is smiling as he says, “Aww, did you miss me?” eyes and voice teasing. But Hyunjae can’t hide the way his voice cracks a bit as he looks down and says, “Yes,” mind going back to the way he had cried his little soul out when he heard Juyeon was leaving - the way that his mother had to rock him to sleep, something she hadn’t done since he was a baby, whispering “it’s okay”s and “you’ll be fine”s into his soft hair as he cried himself to sleep.

Juyeon seems to hear it, though, because he reaches out to touch the side of Hyunjae’s face, the touch ever-so gentle, but the action gets Hyunjae’s attention on the younger alpha immediately. He’s looking at Juyeon with his eyes wide, but slightly wet at the memory those words brought back, and Juyeon visibly softens at the sight of Hyunjae’s face.

And the omega doesn’t even know how it happens, but he soon finds himself in Juyeon’s embrace, the alpha hugging him to his chest as Hyunjae’s heart pounds in his chest, his eyes and hands automatically going to hold onto the material of Juyeon’s shirt. It’s not until he feels the tears making their way down his face does he realize that he’s crying for the second time that day.

“Oh, hyung,” Juyeon breathes out, as he just hugs the older, and Hyunjae can’t help the way tears spill over his eyelids and trickle down his cheeks. It’s like a dam has been broken - the years he suppressed all his emotions in favour of being calm and collected, the facade of perfect crown prince Hyunjae, has finally broken, as he just bawls into the warmth of Juyeon’s embrace.

“I-I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I’m like this, I-” Hyunjae is babbling as Juyeon hushes him softly, pulling away just enough to look at the prince in the eyes. And the alpha’s entire face is one of worry, and _‘goddamnit,_ he’s _the one with the trauma here, I can’t believe I’m this selfish,’_ but his train of self-loathing is abruptly cut off when Juyeon is cupping Hyunjae’s cheeks oh-so-carefully, big hands engulfing Hyunjae’s face, as he swipes tears away with his thumbs.

“Don’t be sorry, hyung. I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Juyeon says, voice gentle and kind, yet tinged with concern. And Hyunjae wants to laugh at himself, to swat the alpha’s hands away and tell him that he’s _fine_ , but he can’t bring himself to do so with the way Juyeon’s warm scent seems to engulf him, comforting and smelling just like _home_. Every attempt to gather himself only fails and serves to make Hyunjae cry even more, as Juyeon shushes him, wiping away his tears so tenderly; the action only serving to make Hyunjae’s heart thump painfully in his chest, and making butterflies take flight in his stomach.

He holds him for what feels like an eternity, eyes soft and gentle on Hyunjae, as the prince cries until he’s run out of tears, the scene all too similar to what happened just last night. And Hyunjae doesn’t even hesitate to break free from the gentle grip Juyeon has on cupping his face in favour of a hug instead, the alpha complying easily and rubbing his big hands up and down the prince’s back.

Oddly enough, it’s the deep breaths out Juyeon’s scent that calms the omega down the most, each inhale Hyunjae takes with his face buried in Juyeon’s chest calming him down substantially. And soon, he no longer feels like he might burst into tears at any given moment, as his breathing calms, still tucked away in the safety and security of Juyeon’s arms.

It’s only when Hyunjae has calmed down does Juyeon pry the prince away just enough to look at him, as he gives a small chuckle, and swipes his thumb over the swollen skin of Hyunjae’s under eye. He lets out a fond sigh, as he gazes down at the prince (the action making Hyunjae feel so very self-conscious of how much of a _mess_ he looks) and says, “I hope you know I really missed you too, hyung,”

Hyunjae lets out an involuntary hiccup as Juyeon smooths the omega’s hair back and away from his face, each touch careful and warm. “I thought of you everyday, for the past decade and a half,” Juyeon admits, and the words have Hyunjae’s heart fluttering.

 _‘You idiot, it’s only because we were best friends, nothing else,’_ he tells himself, reasoning that yeah, he would probably act the same if it was Younghoon. But the little bit of joy that those words gave him remains, as Hyunjae lets out a small, weak laugh, as his fists go to rub his eyes.

“I look like a mess,” he says, trying to remove himself from Juyeon’s hold, but the alpha catches his wrist, making the prince look back at him, questioning.

He misses the way Juyeon’s eyes flicker to his lips for the briefest of moments, before they scan his face, which Hyunjae is positive is a gross mess of tear stains, his nose running and eyes probably swollen and red, but then Juyeon only smiles, as he whispers the word, “Beautiful,” so quiet and so _warm_ that Hyunjae wonders if he even meant to say it outloud.

“S-shut up,” the prince mumbles, turning away from the alpha as he runs to the bathroom to clean himself up, heart pounding and blood rushing to his face. He closes the door behind him, before leaning against it, heart running a mile a minute, and skin feeling warm, his stomach fluttering.

He doesn’t get to see Juyeon stare after him with the most affectionate look in his eyes, the alpha laughing softly to himself as he shakes his head, the most love-stricken smile on his features.

* * *

In the shadows of an alleyway some place in the city beyond the palace, a hooded figure steps out of a carriage, and approaches two men, handing them a piece of paper and a bag of coins.

The alleyway reeks of cheap ale and sewage, the far off sounds of a tavern being the only noise accompanied by the occasional sounds of someone vomiting or the echoes of shouting that bounce off the stone walls of the city.

The taller of the two takes the parchment, looking it over, before looking at the figure, an eyebrow raising. He has a scar running up the side of his face, stretching from his left cheekbone to his jawline.

“This isn’t going to be easy,” he says, his partner looking at the paper himself, spitting his cigarette out and stepping on it to extinguish the light. The hooded figure sneers, gathering the dark purple cloak around their body tighter before saying. “How much more do you want?”

The two share a look, before the shorter one says “500 more coins. And the promise to reimburse any… _complications_ , that might occur.” His voice is high pitched and nasally, but with a tone that just sounds so very _greasy,_ it’s enough to make anyone uncomfortable. He crosses his arms, the assortment of tattoos covering his right arm stretching with the skin. 

The cloaked figure holds the gaze, glancing down at the tattoo of a naked woman on his bicep that seems to be staring into their very eyes, before relenting.

“250 more now, and the rest after you get the job done,” the figure says, and the men share another look before agreeing. The shorter of the two smirks, as he pockets the money before whispering something to the taller, and ducking into one of the adjoining taverns, as the taller speaks.

“Alright. When do you want this done?”

“Before the start of the new moon,” the hooded figure replies, and the man nods. “Can we trust you to give us the money needed once it’s done?” The hooded figure eyes the way the taller man plays with the knife in his hands, the curved blade glinting in the moonlight, as he twirls it with ease.

“Can I trust _you_ to actually get the job done?”

The taller of the two laughs, as he folds the paper, shoving it into his pocket. “We’ve never failed before.”

An eerie grin appears on the face of the hooded figure, much like that of the cheshire cat. “Then we have a deal.”


	3. Following my

Hyunjae thinks that there’s something wrong with him.

Ever since Juyeon has come to live with him, he’s been feeling...off.

His heart will randomly start racing, his stomach feels weird and his palm gets sweaty. He’s visited the physicians twice this week already, and they say there’s nothing wrong with him. But then why is he feeling this way?

It’s only been a few weeks since Juyeon has come to the palace, and Hyunjae is still thinking back to those first few days that he had spent with the alpha, how his smile made him feel all warm inside, how their hand holding and hugs became like second nature to the prince, how he finds himself looking for the alpha immediately after he has some free time on his hands.

He had complained about this to Haknyeon, and his advisor only rolled his eyes before saying, “You can’t be serious,” leaving Hyunjae more confused than before.

Perhaps it’s because he refuses to think about what repercussions it would have for him to actually have a crush on Juyeon and actually be his mate. Because deep down, Hyunjae knows these feelings. He hasn’t felt them since he was a little kid, ever since before Juyeon moved.

The butterflies in his stomach were the first sign. From the little things, like how Juyeon would always open bottles before giving them to Hyunjae, to other things, like the way he would ever so gently brush crumbs off of Hyunjae’s face, and smile at him with that, that  _ look  _ in his eyes, Hyunjae knew he was in trouble.

He can’t let Juyeon make him so flustered like this. And yet here he is. Falling in love with the alpha who used to be his best friend - the one he knew all about, from bad to good, and vice versa. 

Especially after those initial days, Hyunjae found himself spending more and more time with the alpha, having gotten so much closer that it was the norm to wake up in his embrace, legs tangled together, and Juyeon’s lips always either brushing the back of Hyunjae’s neck or pressed against the crown of his head. The action only pushed Hyunjae closer and closer to the edge, and yet, it just felt so very  _ right _ .

It was one of those days where they were just eating lunch together in comfortable silence, when Hyunjae randomly asks, “What would you do if we ended up on a deserted island together?”

Juyeon is silent for a moment, chewing on a piece of meat thoughtfully, before asking, “What would  _ you _ do?”

“Probably look for clean water first. And then build a fire and then shelter. And the day after we could look for food,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon hums. 

“What about after that? After we have everything figured out and we’re just waiting for someone to either find us, or just to pass time?”

Hyunjae thinks about it for a moment before saying, “I guess...we could explore? Or just…” The image of him spending days tucked beside Juyeon as they kiss in a makeshift hut has his ears turning red. He prays Juyeon doesn’t notice and he quickly says, “-talk. I’m sure we would find new topics to talk about.”

Juyeon nods, and Hyunjae carefully ventures, “What about you?”

“The thought of being on a deserted island alone is scary but...if we did reach that point where we were self sustaining…” Juyeon trails off as he looks at Hyunjae. The prince doesn’t know why he feels so nervous; his heart is pounding and his stomach is doing flips. Juyeon is looking at him with that  _ look  _ in his eyes that Hyunjae can’t quite decipher, and he wonders what it would be like to kiss Juyeon.

The alpha’s lips look so soft and he wonders what it would be like to have them pressed up against his. He nervously wets his own, unknowingly drawing Juyeon’s eyes to the prince’s mouth.

Finally, after a moment, the alpha answers. 

“I think I know what I would like to do. But I don’t think I can ever tell you that,” he says, as his hand comes up to rub his own bottom lip.

Hyunjae doesn’t miss the action. He makes eye contact with Juyeon and his heart is pounding. The tension between them is so thick, he doesn’t know what to do - until Juyeon smiles.

“But I know I would be happy being with you on that island, hyung. Because you’re able to make me happy even in the most dire of situations,”

And okay, Hyunjae has to admit. That time, his heart did flutter.

* * *

Hyunjae can’t help grumbling as he climbs into the carriage, huffing under his breath. He had no idea why he agreed to this stupid trip with Younghoon and Changmin. He hates the beach - the sun, the heat, and the sand are all things he dislikes, and it doesn’t help that the ocean had been ruined for him ever since Chanhee had gone on and on about how it’s just the toilet for all those sea creatures.

He’s sighing as he slumps down in his seat, looking out the door at Younghoon and Changmin who were helping Haknyeon tie their bags down, expression irritated until he spots Juyeon, the alpha smiling as he hands the suitcase (that Hyunjae had struggled to drag out the door) to Haknyeon with ease, laughing at something Changmin had said.

_ ‘Right,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he finds himself softly smiling at the sight of the alpha.  _ ‘That’s the reason.’  _

It was a mistake to tell Juyeon about this trip. Because as soon as the alpha had heard about the beach and how they would be taking a short trip out there, his eyes lit up and he looked so very  _ excited _ , that Hyunjae knew they would be going just by looking at his expression alone. There was no way he would be able to say no to Juyeon, not when the alpha looked so hopeful and excited at the prospect of spending the day at the beach.

Which is the very reason why Hyunjae finds himself stuck in the carriage right now, Younghoon and Changmin clamouring in to sit across from him, and the alpha sliding in beside him, his big hand coming to rest of Hyunjae’s leg ever-so-naturally. The prince makes no move to shake it off, but he does stare at it, ears turning slightly red at the sight of how big Juyeon’s hands look on his slim thighs.

“I can’t believe you’re actually coming with us this time, Hyunjae-ah,” Younghoon says as the carriage begins to move. Hyunjae doesn’t deign to respond to his friend, knowing he’ll get that smug grin from the beta, and only grunts in reply as he leans his head against the side of the carriage. “Felt like a change of scenery,” he mumbles as he places his hand over Juyeon’s. He does let a small smile slip onto his lips when he feels the alpha entwine their fingers, their hands still on the omega’s lap.

The ride to the beach will take about a good hour and a half, up to even two depending on the road conditions. Hyunjae plans on sleeping the entire way there, and closes his eyes as he tunes out whatever conversation the other three are having, trying to get comfortable when he feels Juyeon wrapping his arm around him, and gently moves him to lean on his shoulder.

His eyes open in surprise and he looks at the alpha, not resisting, but eyes wide as he gazes up at him. Juyeon looks down at the prince, clearly surprised as well as he says, “Oh! Did I wake you up?” The alpha looks like he’s about to apologize but Hyunjae shakes his head. “No, I hadn’t fallen asleep yet,” he replies truthfully, and Juyeon’s lips form an ‘o’ as he nods.

“Is this okay?” Hyunjae asks as he leans on the younger. He’s oblivious to the way Younghoon and Changmin are eyeballing them, only focused on the alpha, who’s smiling sweetly and nodding. “You just looked uncomfortable leaning against the carriage. You can sleep hyung, I’ll wake you when we get there,” Juyeon says, voice soft as he rubs his thumb over the omega’s hand. The action is one that Hyunjae has found the alpha is fond of, and he has to admit it does make his heart flutter as well, which is why he closes his eyes quickly, hoping the alpha will direct his attention away from him as soon as possible.

Hyunjae hates to admit how quickly he fell asleep after that, with the warmth of the alpha and the feeling of their hands heavy on his lap making him feel so  _ safe  _ and  _ comforted _ , that he drifts off without much issue.

* * *

By the time they arrive at the beach and Juyeon is waking him up with a soft, “Hyung, we’re here,” (Hyunjae will never admit how much he likes the way Juyeon caressed his face gently to get him to open his eyes) Hyunjae’s butt and legs are sore from sitting for such a long time, and he stumbles out of the carriage, eyes half open and bleary, as he stretches, the others already pulling their luggage down from the top of the carriage. 

Hyunjae just kind of stands there, not really processing what’s happening as Haknyeon leads the way to the villa they’ve rented. Younghoon and Changmin follow him, talking loudly about  _ something _ , and Hyunjae only moves once Juyeon is taking his hand in his own and leading the way, smiling fondly at the omega who’s rubbing his eyes, his lips in a pout from being just woken up.

The small villa isn’t anything amazing, but Juyeon stares in awe. It’s a relatively medium sized house that’s about a five minute walk away from the beach, complete with a little campfire area around the back, the view of the ocean allowing for some cozy nighttime bonfires. Juyeon is still slack mouthed as Hyunjae is the one who leads the way this time, pulling the alpha inside the house with him, as they climb the stairs to the second floor.

Younghoon and Changmin have already claimed one of the rooms with the oceanside view, and Hyunjae is picking the room furthest from them (because he will actually kill them and then himself if he has to wake up because of any  _ noises _ during the night) with Juyeon just following behind him like a puppy. The alpha is setting their shared luggage down as Hyunjae lies down on the bed, closing his eyes for a moment. He honestly doesn’t know why he’s here, because he honestly doesn’t like the beach at all. But he couldn’t say no to Juyeon - which is why not even ten minutes later, Hyunjae is walking to the beach with the other four, Changmin, Younghoon and Juyeon in their swim trunks and t-shirts, and Hyunjae covered up from head to toe in clothing.

Haknyeon is following them, smiling at the irritated look on Hyunjae’s face as he trudges along behind them. Hyunjae’s wide brimmed straw hat is at least providing the omega some shade, which is especially fortunate because Hyunjae knows he wouldn’t be able to come with them if he didn’t have it; after all, it wasn’t that the omega just didn’t  _ like _ the sun, direct exposure for prolonged periods of time cause him to get really itchy and red, which is why Haknyeon often referred to Hyunjae as a vampire.

_ ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this to myself,’  _ Hyunjae thinks as he continues to walk, ignoring Haknyeon’s smirk and only focusing on getting himself to the beach so he can lay out his towel under some tree and watch from afar as the others have fun. He had brought one of his books anyways, and plans on reading until the others tired themselves out enough for them to go back to the villa and sleep until dinnertime

And it all goes somewhat according to the plan - Hyunjae finds himself his tree away from the water to sit under as Haknyeon and the others put down their bags with Hyunjae, leaving their towels and shoes with the omega. Changmin immediately takes off towards the water with a mischievous look on his face and Younghoon shucks off his shirt and follows him, both of them yelling like little kids. Hyunjae rolls his eyes, but is smiling fondly as he sits down, pulling out his book and putting on his sunglasses, when he sees Juyeon also stripping off his shirt, and his mouth falls open.

He had forgotten how  _ gorgeous  _ the alpha’s body was. All lean muscle and tanned skin, Juyeon is folding his shirt neatly as he sets it down next to Hyunjae, before crouching down next to the older and smiling, oblivious to the way Hyunjae is blatantly ogling the alpha.  _ ‘Stupid alpha and his stupid muscley alpha genes,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he remembers what he had read in one of the many books Haknyeon had given him - alphas were naturally prone to bulking up easier than omegas.

_ ‘I can’t believe he probably never exercises and he has those abs,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he stares. He can’t help but pout a bit at how hard he worked to achieve a toned core, and yet, here is Juyeon, Mr. Perfect in all his glory, being graced with what took Hyunjae years to achieve.

“Are you sure you’re okay with sitting here hyung?” Juyeon asks, and Hyunjae is quick to close his mouth as he nods. “Mhm!” he replies, trying to ignore the way his voice is high-pitched, praying Juyeon doesn’t notice. The alpha seems not to care, even as Haknyeon is snickering behind him, and the omega has to suppress the urge to throw sand at him.

“You go and have fun with the others,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon smiles at him, as he leans in closer to swipe his thumb across the apple of the prince’s cheek, leaving Hyunjae’s eyes wide and his heart thumping. That was certainly new.

“Would you help me put on some sunscreen before going to join them?” Juyeon asks, and Hyunjae, in his still shocked state, nods dumbly, not really processing what that entails, until Juyeon is pulling out the bottle and squirting some onto his own hands, before also giving Hyunjae some.

“Just my back is fine,” Juyeon says, as he turns around and Hyunjae’s so sure his face is red. Juyeon’s shoulders are so damn broad with his waist tiny in comparison that Hyunjae finds himself jealous of the alpha’s proportions. But he doesn’t waste time staring (though Hyunjae is so sure he could write poems about the beauty of Juyeon’s back alone) and instead gets to work smoothing the white cream across Juyeon’s back as the alpha applies it to his own arms and body.

_ ‘No dirty thoughts, no dirty thoughts, no dirty thoughts,’  _ Hyunjae chants to himself in his head as he bites his bottom lip, trying to ignore the way sparks seem to fly whenever his hand makes contact with the warm skin of the alpha. He’s forcing himself to focus on rubbing the cream into his skin, bottom lip caught between his teeth as he does as quick a job as possible.

“Done!” Hyunjae exclaims, practically jumping away from the alpha. He can’t get a boner, not now, and not over something as trivial as this, and smiles uneasily at Juyeon. “You can go and play with the others now,” Hyunjae says, voice a bit high as he makes a small shooing motion with his hands.  _ ‘I don’t want you to witness the mental breakdown I’m concealing because of you.’  _

“Thanks hyung! Do you need help with sunscreen as well?”

The mere words have Hyunjae’s imagination running wild. He knows sunscreen would probably be a good call, even if he is all covered up, but the thought of Juyeon’s big hands massaging the cream into his skin, the alpha drifting closer as he does so, lips pressing against the nape of Hyunjae’s neck like he loves to do while they sleep has Hyunjae’s brain malfunctioning and instead only shakes his head. “I’m fine. I’ll be here anyways,”

“Alright, if you’re sure!” Juyeon chirps, as he stands up. He stretches for one moment, and Hyunjae’s eyes are appreciating the view before him, before he’s dropping them down to his book, pretending to only glance up at Juyeon as the alpha waves as him before running off to the ocean with the others, leaving the omega to smile and wave until Juyeon disappears into the water.

_ ‘Oh my god,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself, groaning into his hands. Juyeon was so bad for his health - Hyunjae was almost positive he had suffered a mini-stroke due to that sunscreen incident (that only lasted a few seconds and was barely anything more than a friend asking another friend for help). His eyes keep going to look at Juyeon playing in the water with the others, and Hyunjae is close enough that he can just hear the splashing and their laughs, but far enough not to get involved or wet.

_ ‘I don’t know how I’m supposed to read with  _ that  _ in front of me,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself, watching as Juyeon emerges from the water, dripping wet, and flipping his hair back like a model with water running down his body. Hyunjae can only be thankful there aren't a lot of people at the beach due to the time and day of the week - he would rather that not as many people witnessed his mental breakdown.

_ ‘I’m so screwed. I shouldn’t have come. This was such a bad idea,’  _ Hyunjae thinks, as he hurriedly picks up his book and opens it up to where he left off, his eyes unseeing at the words. He tries to force himself to read for a good five minutes, just sitting there, staring at the page, re-reading the same sentence over and over again to try and immerse himself into the book, but the sound of what is definitely Changmin shrieking has Hyunjae peeking over the edge of his book. 

He sees Younghoon carrying the younger omega, both of them soaking wet, and the taller grinning as he moves to toss his boyfriend into the water once more. Juyeon and Haknyeon have joined them, both of them laughing as Changmin emerges from the water, t-shirt clinging to him and a murderous look on his face as he tackles Younghoon, making a huge splash that soaks both Juyeon and Haknyeon, the beta cringing away from the water and screaming, and Juyeon just laughing.

Hyunjae finds himself watching the water battle, a soft smile on his lips as he sees Haknyeon run towards the two to splash water in their direction, the three engaging in an intense fight while Juyeon seems to just enjoy splashing around, throwing water everywhere and anywhere, only laughing as he gets splashed in the face by Changmin and returning the favour, the shocked look the omega has making the alpha laugh even harder.

A soft laugh leaves Hyunjae’s lips, as he bookmarks his book and puts it down. It’s obvious he isn’t going to be reading anytime soon, and instead searches for a water bottle that Haknyeon had packed, rummaging through the bags, his sunglasses sliding down his nose bridge.

Once he’s found what he’s looking for, he’s looking back in the direction of the others, now seeing that Juyeon has taken to helping Changmin collect seashells, the big alpha trailing the omega and crouching down to pick up pieces of coral and shells that have washed up on the seaside. The image is adorable, his big hand cupping a handful of shells as he scans the wet sand. Hyunjae can’t help the fond smile that comes to his lips at the sight, as he lets out a soft sigh, gazing at how  _ cute  _ Juyeon is.

_ ‘He’s a mess of so many contradictions,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he watches the alpha’s side profile. He lets his smile widen when Juyeon turns to look at him, waving excitedly and Hyunjae laughs to himself as he waves back.  _ ‘And yet, they all seem to compliment each other so well.’  _

Hyunjae reclines under the shade, trying to get more comfortable and contemplates napping when he hears the sound of what he can only described as obnoxious laughter. He rolls his eyes, trying to ignore the noise, only to have something tug uncomfortably at him.

And so he sits up, eyes looking for the source, only to see two omega girls in their bikinis talking to Juyeon, so obviously looking at the alpha with hearts in their eyes, as he stoically regards them, seemingly unphased by their existence.

The sight has Hyunjae confused - he isn’t sure if he should be laughing at how desperately the girls are flirting with the alpha, only to have all their words fall flat, or be seething with jealousy at other people trying to hit on  _ his  _ alpha-

_ Oh. _

_ ‘But he’s not my alpha,’  _ Hyunjae reminds himself.  _ ‘We’re nothing but friends. If anything, I should be happy for him. I have no right to be jealous here,’  _

But then he sees Juyeon say something to them before pointing over in Hyunjae’s direction and the two girls look at him (the omega may or may not have been glaring at them over the top of his sunglasses) before they frown and walk away, Juyeon’s stoic face melting into a smile once more as he waves at Hyunjae again.

The action has Hyunjae’s heart thudding in his chest cavity, and his stomach erupts into butterflies once again. 

_ ‘God, he’s so bad for my health.’ _

* * *

The five had returned back to the villa after about an hour, the four soaked and tired, and Hyunjae preoccupied with holding the alpha’s hand and letting him half lean on him (as it seems Juyeon gets super clingy when he’s tired) while they clamour back to the house to shower and sleep.

Hyunjae half expects Juyeon to force him to sleep with him, but instead, he comes out of the bathroom to see the alpha passed out on the bed, hair still damp from showering, and snoring away. The smile that comes to Hyunjae’s lips is so very fond, and he just tucks the blankets around the alpha, combing his fingers through his hair and away from his face, hesitating briefly before smoothing his thumb across the apple of Juyeon’s cheek, much like the alpha had done to Hyunjae.

A quick check up on Haknyeon confirms that the beta is also asleep, and Hyunjae doesn’t need to peek into Younghoon and Changmin’s room to know those two are also knocked out. And so the omega heads downstairs to explore the villa as he hasn’t been here in a while.

It’s all relatively the same. The house is equipped with cozy summer furniture, all that looks brand new and unused. Hyunjae had practically given the cottage to Younghoon and Changmin despite it being royal property, but he was pleasantly surprised to see they have kept it in good condition.

After wandering into the kitchen, Hyunjae starts pulling open random drawers and peeking in cabinets. One look into the pantry has him rolling his eyes. Of course there’s no food - and he knows when the others wake up they’re going to be hungry and wanting to eat, which is why Hyunjae decides that he might as well go and head to the market while the others are asleep since he has nothing better to do with his life.

A small voice in his head tells him he could go curl up under the covers with Juyeon - tuck himself close to the alpha’s side and fall asleep to the steady beating of his heart with the alpha’s hand firm against the small of his back. But Hyunjae shakes his head, chasing the thought away because while that thought does sound really nice, the prince needs some time away from the alpha to clear his mind.

_ ‘I can’t keep letting him make my heart flutter like this,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he slips on his shoes. He needs to remind himself that they’re just  _ friends _ . And nothing more. He doesn’t even know if the alpha would reciprocate any of his feelings, and after intruding on his privacy, Hyunjae feels as if he’s unworthy to even be the object of any remaining feelings from their childhood.

Every attempt at bringing it up with Juyeon only had the alpha shutting down the conversation and switching the topic which only served to make Hyunjae feel even more guilty. 

_ ‘I need to tell him eventually. I can’t run away from his forever,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he heads in the general direction of the market they passed by earlier.

He’s consumed with his thoughts as he walks, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth when he stumbles upon the said market and his eyes go wide. The last time he had been to such a place was when he was much younger - probably when Juyeon was still around, and he’s amazed by all the sights and smells that greet him.

People mill about, going from vendor to vendor, stall to stall, each shop selling goods ranging from bracelets and trinkets to fresh produce and meats. Hyunjae almost wishes he brought more money with him because he has no idea when the next time he’ll be able to come around to a place like this will be.

And so he lets the thoughts burdening him leave as he pursues the marketplace, sampling some fruits and buying what food he deems fit for tonight’s dinner. It consists mostly of meat that can be barbecued even by the clumsiest of fools (like Younghoon) and still taste good, along with some fruits for dessert and vegetables to have on the side.

Hyunjae is handing the old woman the money as he takes the bags with a smile, when he hears two women talking nearby.

“Haven’t you heard? The crown prince has a mate now!” the first one exclaims. Hyunjae finds himself pushing his sunglasses further up his face and lowering the bill of his baseball cap as he subtly eavesdrops.

“Oh, of course! Everyone says he’s a real looker - I can’t wait for the festivities, everyone is already getting ready to celebrate and have a week of partying. I really do want to see the prince and his mate together - I bet they make a stunning couple!”

Hyunjae feels guilt wash over him as he leaves the area quickly after hearing that. He’s walking swiftly away from the stall and decides he has more than enough food to head home when he stops, a jewelry vendor having caught his eye.

The old woman selling the pieces is in the middle of creating some new bracelets when Hyunjae approaches. She smiles at him, as she says, “Has anything caught your eye, young man?”

He flashes her a small smile of his own, as he points to a set of bracelets at the side of the table. “These ones are very beautiful,” he says, looking at the two. They’re simple - just a bracelet made up of black beads and the other of white, each one with a singular bead of the opposing colour. For whatever reason, Hyunjae finds himself drawn to them, and the woman smiles at him warmly.

“Ah those? They’re what I like to call “soulmate bracelets”. For you and your partner - wherever they may go, they’ll always have a part of you, just as you, them. No matter how far or for how long you are separated, you will always have a little bit of them with you.”

Hyunjae finds himself thinking to Juyeon automatically at the words.  _ ‘Soulmate bracelets,’  _ he thinks to himself, sighing softly, before he’s looking at the old woman again. “How much for these?”

* * *

Pocketing the two bracelets and smiling fondly, Hyunjae finally begins his journey back to the villa. It’s not too far, only a fifteen minute walk, but laden with bags, Hyunjae is starting to regret not asking someone to come with him. He briefly thinks of Juyeon, knowing the alpha would’ve agreed within a heartbeat, and his freakish strength would no doubt be beneficial in this instance, but he had looked so tired that Hyunjae didn’t have the heart to wake him.

He passes by a group of betas, three men who are eyeballing him with interest. Hyunjae ignores the looks and continues walking, thinking back to the plans he has for dinner that night.

“Hey omega,” he hears what he assumes is one of the men. He ignores them, and continues to walk, pretending he didn’t hear them. They look like the greasy, slimy type, and Hyunjae honestly wasn’t in the mood for any of their bullshit.

“I was talking to you,” he hears one of them sneer, and Hyunjae is forced to stop when a hand grabs his wrist. The omega jumps, turning around on reflex and yanking his arm away from the beta, glaring at them. 

“It’s rude not to answer when someone is talking to you, sweetheart.”

“It’s also rude to grab people on the street,” Hyunjae spits back, inching away from the beta. The man is chuckling as his lackeys grin like hyenas, and Hyunjae starts to feel uneasy. “Ah, a feisty one, eh? I just wanted to see if a cute omega like yourself would like to have fun with me?”

Hyunjae can’t help the way his face twists up, disgusted. “Um, no. I have friends to get back to,” he says, trying to walk away, but the beta is grabbing him again, which has Hyunjae yanking his wrist out of his grip once more, glaring daggers at him. “Don’t touch me,” he says, and the beta smiles creepily.

“Your friends can join us. We would show you all a good time,” he says, and Hyunjae is thoroughly grossed out. He suppresses the urge to vomit as he says, “No thanks,” and continues to walk away. He can hear the beta growling as he yells after him, “You don’t just walk away from me!” and Hyunjae can feel his headache when he feels the beta grabbing his arm once more, making the omega turn and he swiftly dodges the slap that was aimed for his face.

“Wow, you really aren’t that smart, are you?” Hyunjae asks, and he kicks his attacker in the stomach. The beta stumbles back, and Hyunjae sets his groceries down with care, and he turns to the man, who’s growling as he says, “Why, you-” and Hyunjae rolls his eyes. “Shut the fuck up, I just wanted to leave and you’re the one who kept harassing me,” he states as the beta lunges at him, attempting to land a punch, and Hyunjae easily avoids his moves, watching the beta fall on the floor instead, and Hyunjae is shaking his head, tsking.

The other two betas are watching this all go down, and Hyunjae turns to them, as he says, “You two can just walk away, you know,” but they’re both growling at him as they move to run at him, and Hyunjae sighs, dodging both of their moves easily, and swiping his leg low to knock the feet out under from one of them, before punching another one solidly in the face. The beta from before is running at him again, and Hyunjae turns to avoid him, watching him fall onto the ground once more.

Huffing, Hyunjae goes back to his groceries, picking them up as he continues walking. He doesn’t get far, though, before he’s feeling someone restraining him from behind, and he can already tell it’s the first beta from before.

“No one says no to me, sweetheart,” he growls, arms locked around Hyunjae’s neck. The prince’s eyes widen for a moment, the sudden restraint making panic rush through him for a split second, before Hyunjae growls out, “I’m not your sweetheart.” His leg goes up, flying behind him in what Haknyeon loves to call his ‘donkey kick’, and nails the beta right between the legs, making him immediately crumple to the ground.

“You should’ve stayed down in the first place,” Hyunjae growls, as he continues to walk away, leaving the three betas crumpled in a heap on the ground.

He’s huffing as he walks away, shaking his head and trying to ignore the feeling of disgust that the beta’s touch seems to leave on him, when he spots Juyeon running at him, eyes wild, hair sticking up, completely barefoot.

“Hyung!” He calls, and Hyunjae stops, taking in the sight of the alpha so frazzled. 

“Juyeonnie?”

He’s engulfed in a hug, lets out a soft ,”Oof” at the impact of the alpha barreling into him. “Juyeonnie, what’s wrong? Where are your shoes?” he asks, and Juyeon pulls away to look at him. 

“Are you alright?” he asks frantically, eyes scanning the omega from head to toe.

“What?” Hyunjae asks, still trying to figure out what could’ve happened to make Juyeon run out of the villa like this. “What happened?”

“I-I just woke up feeling like something was wrong. Did something happen? Are you alright? You’re not hurt are you?” Juyeon asks, checking Hyunjae over as if he might be hiding some broken bones. Hyunjae is dazed as he asks, “What?” once more, this time, his voice much softer.

“What do you mean you felt like something was wrong?” Hyunjae asks, and Juyeon shakes his head. “I don’t know. I just knew you were in trouble. God, nothing bad happened, did it?” Juyeon presses, and Hyunjae is still shocked as he shakes his head. 

“Nothing I couldn’t deal with,” he responds quietly.

“You shouldn’t have gone alone hyung! Next time, wait for me to come with you,” the alpha says, and Hyunjae is about to say he’s totally capable of going alone, when he sees the worry and concern in Juyeon’s eyes, and he lets out a breath, as he smiles up at him. “Okay,” he says, voice soft, as he hugs Juyeon. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

“As long as you’re safe,” Juyeon breathes out, as he hugs Hyunjae back, gripping him tightly. “Come on, Juyeonnie. Let’s get you home before you cut your foot open on something,” Hyunjae says, as he pulls away slightly. Juyeon smiles and takes one of the bags from Hyunjae, the omega not getting a chance to even complain before he takes the other two as well and says, “Alrighty hyung!”

“O-oh Juyeon! I, um, I got you something from the market,” Hyunjae says, and the alpha turns to look at him, eyes wide. “Oooh what is it?” he asks, bouncing excitedly, and Hyunjae pulls the black bracelet out of his pocket. “Here,” he says, unclasping it, before sliding it onto Juyeon’s wrist smoothly.

“It’s, um. It’s a friendship bracelet,” Hyunjae says while he slides the white one onto his own wrist. “See!”

“Wow! It’s really pretty hyung!” Juyeon says, admiring the bracelet on his own wrist as he continues to carry the bags. “Thank you! You didn’t have to get me anything,” he says, and Hyunjae shrugs.

“Just don’t tell the others. I didn’t get them anything,” he jokes, making Juyeon laugh as they walk home. The alpha doesn’t notice the way Hyunjae’s ears are flaming red, nor the satisfied way his mouth curls up as he looks down at their matching bracelets, biting his bottom lip to contain his smile.

* * *

With the sun having set, Hyunjae finds himself sitting outside as Juyeon and Haknyeon are grilling the meat, Changmin monitoring the process and reminding them when to flip, as Younghoon watches, eyes fond. Hyunjae’s eyes follow Juyeon’s form, constantly flickering down to his wrist where the bracelet is, the omega unconsciously fiddling with his own. Why did it feel so  _ intimate _ when it’s just a piece of jewelry?

_ ‘The better question is why did I lie when I gave it to him,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he wraps the blanket around his shoulder tighter. He hardly notices when Younghoon comes up to him, practically jumping out of his skin when the alpha sits down beside him.

“Oh, you scared me,” Hyunjae exclaims, and Younghoon scoffs. “You really are distracted lately, aren’t you?”

“I guess,” Hyunjae mumbles, eyes going back to Juyeon for a second, watching the way he laughs as Changmin scolds Haknyeon for burning one of the pieces of meat.

“You really like him, don’t you?” Younghoon asks, the question sounding a lot like a statement. Hyunjae turns to look at Younghoon, the beta staring right at him, as he blinks. “What?”

“Juyeon. You really do like him,” he says and Hyunjae hesitates before remembering they’re supposed to be dating. “O-of course!”

“Don’t lie to me, Hyunjae. I’ve known you for a long time - I know whatever you two are doing isn’t romantic - yet,” Younghoon says, and Hyunjae can’t reply as he looks away at the ocean, biting the inside of his mouth. 

He hears Younghoon sigh, as the beta scoots closer to him. “Whatever you two are up to, it’s not my business. But...he really does care about you too, you know,” Younghoon says, and Hyunjae turns to look at him once more. Younghoon is smiling softly, as he glances over at the others for a moment, Hyunjae following his gaze.

“How… how do you know?” he asks, voice soft. Younghoon smiles fondly when he turns to look at Hyunjae again. 

“Because he looks at you the way I look at Changmin.”

Hyunjae’s heart jumps into his throat, and Younghoon stands up. “Don’t wait too long. Juyeon is a good kid,” Younghoon says, and he pauses before saying, “And you deserve to be happy too, Hyunjae-ah. I don’t want you to regret anything in the future.”

The omega is silent as Younghoon walks back into the villa, and Hyunjae is left staring at the three around the grill. His eyes are on Juyeon, watching the way the flames reflect against his tanned skin, the crinkle of his eyes and the upturn of his mouth.

His attention is pulled away when Younghoon emerges from the house holding a glass of water, and Hyunjae watches the way Changmin bounds up to him, smiling as he feeds Younghoon a piece of meat. The beta accepts it with a smile, looking at the omega so very  _ tenderly,  _ that Hyunjae feels like he’s intruding. The two share a soft kiss, and Changmin is giggling, cheeks slightly flushed, and Hyunjae has to look away.

_ ‘Because he looks at you the way I look at Changmin.’  _

“Hyung?”

Hyunjae jumps when he notices Juyeon standing in front of him. “J-Juyeonnie!”

“Are you okay? You seemed a bit out of it,” Juyeon says, leaning in closer to look at him. Hyunjae gulps as the alpha’s big hand goes to cup his cheek, eyes flitting over his face worriedly. “I’m fine. Just a bit tired,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon studies him for a moment, before smiling, smoothing his thumb over the omega’s cheekbone.

“I told you you should’ve just napped with me,” Juyeon says, voice teasing. Hyunjae feels his throat dry when he sees the way Juyeon is looking at him, eyes so very soft and kind, full of gentleness and, dare he even say it, what looks a lot like love. Hyunjae’s mind goes back to all the other times Juyeon looked at him with this exact same look, how Younghoon was  _ right _ .

“Juyeonnie,” Hyunjae breathes out, finding himself gravitating towards the alpha. His eyes flicker down to his lips, before going back up to his eyes, the alpha still looking at him with that gentle look, hand still cupping Hyunjae’s cheek.

The prince’s heart is beating rapidly in his chest, as he feels himself almost being drawn to the alpha like a magnet, leaning in as the alpha also moves in closer. They’re mere centimeters away from one another when-

“Guys! The meat is done!”

Hyunjae practically jumps away from Juyeon, the alpha doing the same, as they look over at Haknyeon balancing a plate piled high with meat. Hyunjae immediately stands up and runs to help the beta as an excuse to hide his burning red face from the alpha as he practically steals the plate from Haknyeon to carry into the house.

He doesn’t get to see the lovesick smile on Juyeon’s face while he stares after him, standing up slowly to follow them all into the villa.

* * *

By the time they’ve all been stuffed with food (to the point that Hyunjae feels like he might burst - he definitely bought WAY too much food for just five people) and have headed upstairs to sleep, it’s past midnight, and Hyunjae can feel the day catching up to him.

He stifles a yawn as he drags himself to the bedroom, saying his “goodnight”s to the others when he opens the door to see Juyeon already lying in bed, reading the back of Hyunjae’s book.

“Hyung!” he says when he sees the omega. Hyunjae doesn’t respond and only falls onto the bed, eyes closing. “God, I’m so tired,” he mumbles into the blankets, and he can feel the alpha moving, before there’s a big hand patting his back. It makes him feel better, for some reason, and he lets out a soft sigh as Juyeon lets out a laugh.

“Go wash up and get ready for bed. I bet you’re exhausted after everything that happened today,” Juyeon responds, and Hyunjae feels as if it takes every muscle in his body to peel himself off the bed. “I hate that you’re right,” the prince mutters, fake malice in his voice as he drags himself to the bathroom. Juyeon only laughs, before calling after him, “You’ll thank me in the morning!”

Hyunjae forces himself to do his nighttime routine as quickly as possible, showering and brushing his teeth before changing into his pajamas and leaving the bathroom ready to hop into bed and just pass out. Juyeon is still up when Hyunjae returns, and the omega silently pads over to his side of the bed, sliding under the covers.

“Come here,” Juyeon mumbles, his arms going out to gather the omega close to him. Hyunjae’s tired brain doesn’t quite respond to the action in the way he would’ve if he was awake, as he lets the alpha pull him flush against his body, practically hugging him to his chest.  _ ‘We usually end up in this position by the morning anyways,’  _ is what he thinks faintly, as his eyes start to close.

“Goodnight hyung,” Juyeon whispers and Hyunjae tries to mumble back something coherent, but ends up falling prey to the darkness of unconsciousness before he can.

Juyeon smiles down at the omega in his arms, admiring his beautiful features, before dipping his head down to press his nose to the prince’s hair, breathing in his sweet scent before letting out a soft sigh. He had never thought he would be lucky enough to have Hyunjae in his arms like this, and while it’s not due to the specific situation in which he would’ve preferably held the omega, he’s content with just being able to hold Hyunjae and imagine that they’re more than just friends.

He gazes down at the prince’s wrist, spotting the bracelet he had been given the matching side to. For some reason, Juyeon feels his heart warm, as he reaches out to lace their fingers together, before the alpha looks at their entwined hands, matching bracelets and all.

_ ‘I love you,’  _ Juyeon thinks to himself as he places the softest kiss to the crown of Hyunjae’s head. He would never have the confidence to do this when the prince was awake, and he feels like such a coward, yet with the way Hyunjae has made it so very clear that they are nothing but friends, Juyeon is scared of losing him once again.

_ ‘Sleep well, my precious omega,’  _ Juyeon thinks, as he hugs the prince close to his body and closes his eyes, a soft smile on his lips, their fingers still entwined.

* * *

From the moment that they had woken up, Juyeon has been hypersensitive to anything related to Hyunjae.

He wasn’t sure why, but it felt as if something inside of him was urging him to keep an eye on the omega. Ever since the prince left his embrace that morning to go to the bathroom, Juyeon has felt on edge, as if anything could happen in those brief moments that Hyunjae left his line of vision.

And he kept mentally berating himself, telling himself to just  _ stop  _ because it’s not like they were a couple or anything.  _ ‘I have to stop acting like he’s more than a friend to me,’  _ Juyeon tells himself, forcing himself to look away from where Hyunjae and Haknyeon are cleaning all traces of their barbecue from last night.  _ ‘I can’t keep acting like this when he’s clearly expressed that there’s nothing between us.’ _

At least, for now. For the time being, they’re just friends. But the line between best friends and something more is becoming blurry, with the way the two are always holding hands, their frequent hugs, and the way Juyeon can’t sleep without holding Hyunjae close to himself, his nose pressed against the omega’s skin.

He feels especially aware after his talk with Younghoon yesterday; while Hyunjae and Changmin were busy doing the dishes and Haknyeon was taking out the trash, the older beta had come over to Juyeon to nudge him, and then made a vague gesture in the direction of the omega prince.

“Just staring isn’t going to get you anywhere,” Younghoon had said, making Juyeon blink up at him. The beta rolled his eyes, as he leaned closer to the alpha,“You have to be clear about what you want. Because Hyunjae isn’t going to understand unless you tell him - or  _ show  _ him exactly what you’re willing to give.”

Those words have been echoing in Juyeon’s head ever since they all loaded into the carriage.  _ ‘As if this “Hyunjae sense” wasn’t enough,’  _ he thinks to himself, as he glances over at Hyunjae. The prince had been very quiet since the morning - Juyeon wasn’t sure if it was because he was tired, or if it was something else, but Hyunjae had that strange smile on his lips the entire time, one that Juyeon could only really describe as ‘strained’. 

He noticed how the prince would constantly flash the smile, before letting his feature morph into something that just looked so very  _ weary _ that Juyeon felt sadness fill him. He hated seeing his hyung so drained, especially after a mini-vacation that Juyeon had thought would be more healing than anything.

And so, with Younghoon’s words echoing through his head, he reaches over casually and holds the omega’s hand, flashing him a smile when the prince turns to look at him. Juyeon’s eyes twinkle as he looks at Hyunjae, the older slumped down in his seat and looked at Juyeon questioningly. The alpha resists the urge to sigh as he stares at him, admiring just how  _ gorgeous  _ Hyunjae is. From the perfect slope of his nose to his pretty doe eyes, Juyeon would always wonder just how someone so beautiful, so  _ perfect _ could exist.

Which is why Juyeon can’t resist the way he reaches forwards with the hand that isn’t holding Hyunjae’s and swipes his thumb against the omega’s cheekbone, something that’s becoming a habit of his. He watches as redness comes to the prince’s face, a sight that Juyeon loves to see, especially since he’s the cause of it.

_ ‘Gorgeous. In every sense of the word, just absolutely beautiful.’  _

Juyeon knows Younghoon is right, which is why he decides that as soon as they get back to the palace, he’s going to ask Haknyeon to help him with the idea that the beta had given him just a month prior.

* * *

“Shit, shit, shit,” Hyunjae chants under his breath as he looks at his files. He couldn’t believe he brought the wrong ones - just another thing gone wrong on this day that seemed like nothing could go right.

It started in the morning, just a few days after returning from the beach, Hyunjae had been rudely awoken by the sound of what he later found out to be dishes clattering to the floor. The omega had jerked away by the noise, startling him awake, which in turn, only served to wake Juyeon as well, the alpha practically growling as he awoke. The younger had instantly put himself between the prince and the door, his eyes darting around the room as Hyunjae tried to calm down his heart.

And while the gesture was all too sweet and made Hyunjae’s heart flutter a little (a lot), things only went downhill from there. The water in their bathroom was all cold. He kept dropping and bumping into things for no reason. He forgot the keys to his office and had to run across the palace to retrieve them. He had run late to two of the meetings he had scheduled, and almost forgot to eat lunch because he was working in between scheduled meetings to get some of the paperwork done regarding the upcoming building project in the town hall.

_ ‘It seems like stress is just a constant in my life,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he fumbles with his papers, triple checking to ensure that they were indeed the wrong ones. His head is pounding and it was already six o’clock, which meant dinner was soon.

Standing up, the omega loosens his tie as he picks up his things. He must’ve left the papers in his room after reading over some of the proposals for the budget last night before falling asleep.

Stretching slightly, Hyunjae set a fast pace to his chambers, wondering what Juyeon is up to as he goes. His lessons with Haknyeon should be finished by now, and he briefly considers telling the alpha to go and eat without him - while he enjoys having meals with him, both of them telling each other about their days, it just feels like there is so much to be done, and so little time to do them.

_ ‘I can get Haknyeon to bring me my meals later,’  _ Hyunjae tells himself, as he rounds the corner leading to their room. And speaking of the devil, he spots the beta lingering outside his door, the man practically jumping when he spots Hyunjae.

“O-oh Hyunjae!” The beta says, oddly loud. Hyunjae gives him a weird look, but responds nonetheless. “Haknyeon,” he says, nodding, trying to sidestep the beta who’s in his way. But the younger follows his movements as he says, “What’re you up to at this time?”

Hyunjae looks at the younger, eyebrow raised at his odd behaviour and says, “...Work…” unsure why the other is acting so strange. Haknyeon’s mouth forms an ‘o’ as he nods, as if Hyunjae just said the most interesting thing in the world. There’s a moment of silence where they just stare at each other, and Hyunjae is unsure what to say before he finally opens his mouth to say, “Can I go to my room now?”

“No!” Haknyeon exclaims, surprisingly both Hyunjae and himself. There’s another moment of stunned silence, where they both just stare at each other for another awkward moment before Hyunjae says, “...Why not?”

“I mean, why would you need to go in there?” Haknyeon says, laughing awkwardly and Hyunjae eyes him weirdly before saying, “I have to get some files I left here this morning,” 

“Oh are you talking about the town proposal ones? I filed them away in your office,” Haknyeon responds and Hyunjae ‘ah’s in realization. “Really? Oh thank god, I thought I lost them,” Hyunjae says, and he moves to leave, but before he can get far he stops and turns to the beta.

“By the way, tell Juyeon to have dinner without me. I have a lot to do today, and probably won’t be able to eat until later,” Hyunjae says, meaning for it to only be a passing remark. But Haknyeon’s eyes widen, as he runs towards the omega, closing the distance between them, grabbing his shoulder.

“A-actually on second thought, I think you should check your room,” Haknyeon says, laughing awkwardly, as he practically drags Hyunjae back.

“But I thought you said you put the files in the filing cabinet?” Hyunjae says, clearly confused, and Haknyeon is still doing that awkward laugh as he says “You can never be too sure!” before saying loudly, “Go on in!” and practically pushing the prince at the door.

And Hyunjae doesn’t get the chance to question the beta as to why he’s acting so weird when he opens the door to see his room lit up with soft candles, the balcony drawing his gaze as he sees a blanket laid out along with multiple platters of food, more candles, and some wine. In the midst of all this, Juyeon is standing with a gentle expression on his face.

Hyunjae’s eyes are wide as he looks at Juyeon, and the younger rubs his neck awkwardly. “What’s all of this?” Hyunjae asks, voice soft, as the alpha raises his shoulders and says “Surprise?”

The prince is too busy looking at the room, which looks gorgeous with the sun setting in the background. Juyeon lets out a soft laugh. “I just wanted to do something nice for you, hyung. You’ve seemed so busy and stressed lately and… just everything that you’ve done for me, I really want to just pay it back in whatever way I can,” Juyeon explains and Hyunjae shakes his head. “No, there’s no need to pay anything back,” he starts to say and Juyeon laughs as he comes closer to the omega.

Hyunjae doesn’t notice how hard his heart was pounding until Juyeon takes his hands in his. “That was a poor choice of words...I wanted to show you my gratitude, and how much you- it means to me,” the alpha says, looking at the prince with such honesty in his eyes. Hyunjae bites his bottom lip, trying not to let how much that little mix up of words affects him, especially since it was probably just a little mistake. His stomach is an uproar of butterflies, and he looks up at the alpha through his lashes, smiling softly.

“Thank you, Juyeonnie. This really is beautiful,” he says, and Juyeon smiles. “Come,” the younger guides him to the balcony, letting the two of them out onto the space, Hyunjae breathing in deeply as he exits his room, having not gotten some fresh air in who knows how long.  _ ‘Probably not since the beach,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he gazes at the sunset, before looking at the gardens that his room overlooks, the scenic view gorgeous.

Waking up to the same scenery everyday had almost made Hyunjae forget how beautiful the palace was. He’s grateful for Juyeon’s actions, not just because they were so sweet (and indeed they were) but also because they reminded him of what beauty lay in what he already had.

“Come, sit. Haknyeon helped me with this since he said you haven’t had dinner yet,” Juyeon says, urging the omega to sit on the blanket he had laid out. Hyunjae smiles as he complies, taking a seat on one of the pillows Juyeon has placed down while the alpha reaches over to take one of the plates and begins loading it with food. 

“You haven’t been eating, have you?” Juyeon asks, and the prince doesn’t answer, his guilty look answer enough. Juyeon shakes his head as he tsks, saying “Hyung, please don’t skip your meals. It’s not good for you, and you’re already practically skin and bones. I don’t want you getting sick.” He holds out a plate filled with a little bit of everything to the other. Hyunjae smiles at the alpha’s fussing, and he accepts the heavy dish. “You’re right, sorry. I’ve just been so busy lately, and I tend to forget,” he admits, and the alpha sighs.

“I’ll have to remind you, then,” Juyeon says, taking another plate for himself. Hyunjae laughs, as he begins to eat, only realizing how hungry he was when he finally has food in his mouth. He doesn’t notice how the alpha watches him fondly, a smile on his lips, before he’s reaching over to open the wine bottle, struggling for a moment, and catching Hyunjae’s attention.

The omega laughs, as he takes the bottle from him, and grabs the corkscrew, popping the bottle open easy enough and handing it back to the alpha, whose ears are red as he accepts it, and goes on to pour them some wine. Hyunjae is smiling still as he takes a sip of the wine, gazing out at the sunset once more.

“I hardly ever see the sunset from here despite literally living here,” Hyunjae comments. “I’ve forgotten how beautiful it is.”

Juyeon hums, as he glances at Hyunjae, smiling slightly. “Haknyeon helped me with this idea. I had mentioned it to him after having seen the sunset myself. It...it really is beautiful. It reminded me of you,” Juyeon says, the words grabbing the omega’s attention. He glances over at the alpha, only to see Juyeon looking at him with that look that seems only reserved for him. The same one Hyunjae saw on Younghoon’s face when he looked at Changmin. The beta’s words are echoing in his head as he gazes at Juyeon.

“I-In what way?” Hyunjae asks, voice stuttering slightly. Juyeon continues to look at him, smiling softly as he tilts his head. Then he says ever so softly, “Warm. Beautiful. Cozy.”

Those three words have Hyunjae’s face turning red as he looks down at his food. Hyunjae is trying to contain the embarrassed smile that threatens to take over his face as he begins to say something about how Juyeon’s such a flatterer, when he feels the alpha’s fingers gently tilting his face up, the mere touch getting Hyunjae’s attention once more. The way Juyeon just smiles at him, with a look that Hyunjae can only describe as  _ wonder  _ on his features, has Hyunjae’s heart stuttering in his chest.

“There’s that face I love so much,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae feels like he’s going to explode from how hot his cheeks are. He doesn’t know how to reply. Doesn’t know what to say. He’s almost certain that he couldn’t have heard that right, even though the pure  _ adoration  _ that is oozing from Juyeon’s look and fond smile is making Hyunjae’s heart squeeze and his stomach do flips.

But they’re interrupted by the shrill noise of fireworks, and the two both turn their heads to the source of the sound, watching just in time to see the explosion of pink and blues into the quickly darkening sky. Hyunjae smiles as he sees Juyeon’s jaw drop, the alpha standing up to get a better view.

“I haven’t seen fireworks in ages,” the younger breathes, eyes wide in awe. Hyunjae laughs at how adorable Juyeon’s childlike innocence is, despite still being flustered by the alpha’s actions just a few seconds ago.

“They really are amazing to see. I’m not sure why they’re going off tonight, though,” Hyunjae comments, as he looks off at the sparkling and fizzing lights. He takes another sip of his wine, as he continues to eat the pile of food that Juyeon had given him, watching the fireworks in somewhat of a daze from the mood just moments prior.

And when Juyeon finally sits down after having his fill of staring at the fireworks to start eating, Hyunjae can’t help but blush just by meeting his gaze. The omega is quickly emptying his glass of wine in an excuse to not look at the alpha, feeling so warm and tingly all over (or perhaps that’s the wine at play), before pouring himself another, and continues to shovel his mouth full of food.

The silence between them is just slightly heavy - not enough to make Hyunjae want to run away, but enough to make him apprehensive. The air is full of unspoken words, both men feeling as if there is something they want to say, yet neither make a move to break the silence.

So they continue to eat in silence, Hyunjae hating how he feels somewhat responsible for how awkward things are quickly becoming, as he racks his brain for topics to talk about, when he feels the alpha’s hand on his own, gaining his attention. Juyeon is looking at him, eyes all gentle, as he says, “How was your day? You seemed so tired lately,” and Hyunjae is so glad for the break in silence.

And so the prince starts to rant to Juyeon about how everything seemed to be going wrong, and how the other council members are getting on his nerves (especially his uncle, though today, Hyunjae had noted, he was absent due to feeling unwell. It would be a lie for him to say he wasn’t relieved to hear the news) and how he feels like he might go insane because of everything he has to do. Juyeon just listens, nodding sympathetically and reacting appropriately to different parts of Hyunjae’s long speech, and by the time the omega is out of things to rant about, he finds himself feeling a lot better.

But he feels as if he’s soured the mood, and so after rubbing a tired hand over his own face, he turns to look at Juyeon, who’s eating a piece of cheese and looking contemplative, before smiling and says, “And what have you been up to these past few days? There has to be  _ something  _ you were doing to keep yourself busy,”

Juyeon smiles at the question, before he begins to talk. “Haknyeon had shown me the library and I was doing some reading. Mostly informational things, like some etiquette books Haknyeon brought me, along with some of the other books on mating rituals, omega anatomy and such,” Juyeon says, waving his hand vaguely. Hyunjae almost wants to facepalm at the choice of literature Haknyeon had given the alpha, but instead decides to gloss over that fact and says, “You know, if you’re ever bored, you should get Haknyeon to go horseback riding with you.”

Hyunjae takes another sip of his wine, almost done with his food as he sets the plate aside and leans back on his hands. The sky has darkened considerably since he first entered, with the sun almost having disappeared completely, but due to the candles Juyeon had left littered around the area, the balcony becomes washed in a warm glow.

“Haknyeon did suggest that. Younghoon even told me I should call him whenever I want to spar - though, I’m not entirely sure I know how to use a sword,” Juyeon admits, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, and for some reason, the look of the alpha has Hyunjae coo-ing. “I can teach you sometime, if you want. It’s pretty hard though, I’m not going to lie,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon perks up.

“Yeah! That would actually be really cool,” Juyeon says, smiling, and the omega can only smile back, warmth filling him. The alpha’s actions were adorable to Hyunjae; as he spent more and more time with Juyeon, he couldn’t believe how anyone could find him anything even remotely close to threatening.

_ ‘So much has changed in the time we spent apart. And yet, the more I get to see you, the more I realize you’re still the same, innocent, cheerful Juyeonnie I knew before. The same Juyeonnie I fell in love with,’  _ Hyunjae finds himself thinking, as he just stares at the alpha. He’s tracing his eyes over the younger male’s features, comparing them to the memory of young Juyeon in his mind, so lost in just appreciating his features that he doesn’t notice how Juyeon is doing the same, his eyes on Hyunjae and Hyunjae alone.

The omega finds himself being shaken out of his trance when he shivers suddenly, the gust of wind and loss of light making him cold, and that’s when Juyeon stands up. “Are you cold hyung?” he asks, worried, and Hyunjae is about to tell him he’s fine, but Juyeon is already starting to pack up their little picnic. “We can put the dishes inside and grab a few blankets before watching the stars for a bit,” Juyeon suggests and Hyunjae finds himself smiling and nodding. He wasn’t ready for his little date with Juyeon to be over yet.

_ ‘Is this a date? What if I’m reading into things? Is it not a date?’  _ Hyunjae finds himself thinking as he helps Juyeon to gather the empty dishes and wine glasses. The prince really doesn’t get much time to contemplate the logistics of what makes something a date or not, because Juyeon is excitedly dragging out some spare blankets from the closet and bringing them to the balcony, eagerly saying, “Come on hyung! There’s supposed to be clear skies tonight!”

The words have Hyunjae forgetting about his worries as he follows the alpha, the two of them settling on the blanket laid out for their picnic, with Juyeon spreading the blankets he had taken from the closet on top of their laps, and Hyunjae snuggling under them. He doesn’t think twice before shuffling as close as possible to the alpha, reasoning they already sleep together anyways. Plus, the alpha’s body heat was comparable to sleeping by a furnace - there was no way Hyunjae would be cold with Juyeon next to him.

“I did some reading on constellations too,” Juyeon says, as Hyunjae leans against the alpha, basking in his warmth. Juyeon is sliding an arm around Hyunjae’s back, the two not really noticing as Juyeon points to the different bundles of stars in the sky. “That one over there, that’s Orion. The hunter,” Juyeon says and Hyunjae watches, following his hand. Juyeon is pointing to another cluster of stars as he says, “And that over there is Taurus. But if you look closely, that cluster of stars that makes up Taurus is Pleiades.”

“Interesting. I’ve always been so fascinated by the constellations and the myths behind them,” Hyunjae comments, glancing at Juyeon and hoping the alpha will explain. Juyeon seems to get the hint as he smiles and says, “Well you’re in luck then - I find the story of Orion and the Pleiades to be particularly interesting - and a little bit sad too,” he says.

“Orion was a hunter, and the Pleiades were actually a group of seven nymphs who were all sisters. It changes from story to story, but some say that Orion chased after the Pleiades because he fell in love with them - specifically Merope, the youngest of the sisters,” Juyeon comments as he looks at the stars. “Zeus wanted to keep them away, and so he first turned the Pleiades into doves, and then into stars. And to this very day, Orion still chases after them across the stars,” Juyeon says and Hyunjae frowns. “But… did Merope also love Orion?”

Juyeon glances over at Hyunjae for a moment, before he smiles. “That part is unclear. Some say that she was in love with a human king. Others say that she did indeed love Orion. I would like to think the latter is true,” Juyeon comments and Hyunjae frowns to himself even more so. “If she loved him… then why didn’t she go with him?”

The alpha looks up at the stars again, before saying “You know what, you’re right. Why didn’t Merope just go with Orion? Maybe because of her sisters, she turned him down?” Juyeon suggests, and Hyunjae mulls it over in his head. 

“Perhaps she loved him, but her loyalty and love to her sisters mattered more. Or maybe she was pressured by them to leave him, and she didn’t realize until she had already turned Orion down that she loved him still,” Hyunjae says, finding himself faltering after saying those words. They hit a bit too close to home for Hyunjae, and he hopes Juyeon doesn’t notice, as the prince turns to face the younger.

It’s Juyeon’s turn to frown. “But if Orion loved her, he would still accept her,” and Hyunjae finds himself defending Merope’s (hypothetical) actions. 

“She didn’t know that. She was probably afraid of rejection,” Hyunjae mumbles, and Juyeon turns to look at him, before laughing, his big hand going to cover Hyunjae’s as he links their fingers together playfully.

“That’s just silly. Of course Orion would still love her. Orion would’ve never forgotten the one he loved,” Juyeon says, staring at Hyunjae. His voice gets softer at the end, as he looks at Hyunjae in  _ that  _ way once more, and suddenly, the prince isn’t so sure they’re talking about the myth anymore. 

Juyeon is so close. Their bodies are pressed together to preserve warmth and the alpha is a mere centimeters away from Hyunjae’s own face, as they stare at each other, the omega’s mouth falling open slightly as he stares into Juyeon’s eyes, always so enraptured by how  _ perfect  _ Juyeon is.  _ ‘The perfect alpha,’  _ Hyunjae thinks to himself, biting his bottom lip.

He seems to be drawn to Juyeon, as if he was magnetic, leaning in closer and closer with each second that passed, suddenly conscious of the possessive grip Juyeon has on his waist, and the pounding of his heart, so loud that’s he’s almost certain the alpha can hear it.

And then the shrieking of the fireworks starts once more, and the noise has Hyunjae turning to see the explosion of purples and greens, his eyes widening at the sight.

“Wow,” he breathes out, bathed in the light of the colours flashing across the sky. “It’s beautiful,”

“Yeah. Absolutely gorgeous,” Juyeon mutters, and Hyunjae turns to look at the alpha, his entire face turning red once he realizes the alpha’s gaze is on  _ him,  _ that ever present soft smile on his lips, as he stares at the blushing omega.

And Hyunjae doesn't know how it happens but the next thing he knows, he’s kissing Juyeon, their fingers entwined and the alpha holds him oh-so-tenderly, as Hyunjae drowns in the taste and scent of  _ Juyeon, Juyeon, Juyeon.  _ His heart is hammering in his chest, and he feels like he’s floating and falling at the same time, as his lips mould and move against Juyeon’s eyes fluttering shut.

The fireworks exploding in front of them is nothing compared to the fireworks that seem to explode within Hyunjae as he shares this kiss with the alpha he would trust his  _ life  _ with, and Juyeon is kissing him like he’s the most delicate piece of glass, but also as if he would die without him. A beautiful contrast that is all so fitting to who Juyeon is, and Hyunjae’s stomach is aflame with butterflies, heart pounding, and his hands are sweaty as he just gives back to the best of his ability, finding himself falling deeper and deeper for the man who is Lee Juyeon.

And under the twinkling stars of both Orion and the Pleiades, Hyunjae loses himself in Juyeon. His Juyeonnie.

* * *

“Hyung!”

Hyunjae looked over at the sound of Juyeon’s voice, wiping the sweat that accumulated on his brow, as he sheaths his sword. He feels his entire body warm with the sight of the alpha, the events of last night still fresh in his mind. Despite the fact all they did was  _ kiss,  _ Hyunjae feels like a blushing school girl. His stomach does flips at the thought of Juyeon’s lips pressed against his own, and he  _ knows  _ he’s blushing. He just hopes that both Juyeon and Younghoon think it’s from exertion.

“What’re you two doing here?” Hyunjae asks, breathing heavily as he looks at the two. He doesn’t try to let his eyes linger for long on Juyeon, as the mere sight of the alpha brought back all the feelings that rushed through him last night. Love. Adoration. Want.  _ Lust _ .

Unfortunately, he feels like Juyeon might have an inkling of what he was thinking of, if the cheeky grin on the alpha’s face is anything to go by. Hyunjae forces himself to ignore him, and he looks at Younghoon, praying the beta doesn’t notice anything is up. Luckily for him, Younghoon doesn’t seem to catch on, the beta busy with his own thoughts.

“Juyeon wanted to come with me and Changmin to town to one of the new ice cream parlours, and suggested that we bring you with us,” Younghoon explains, and Hyunjae lets out a laugh. “The thought is sweet, but I’m kind of gross right now,” Hyunjae explains, gesturing to his sweaty self. Younghoon waves him off, saying, “We weren’t going to go until Changmin is done with his duties, which should take a few hours. Gives you plenty of time to shower and stuff.” 

Hyunjae glances between the two, biting his bottom lip when he sees how Juyeon is looking at him so lovingly, before he lets out another laugh, this time slightly softer. “Alright. Do we have enough time for me to finish one last round?” Hyunjae asks, gesturing to his sparring partner, a beta named Hoseok, one of the many guards from around the palace. He had been standing there awkwardly, fiddling with his sword as he watched the others talk.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t mind us,” Younghoon says, waving his hand dismissively, as he pulls Juyeon to the side, and Hyunjae smiles at them before turning back to Hoseok. The beta had been one of his sparring partners for many a year now, but Hyunjae often did just drop by the sparring circle to practice his skills whenever he had free time.

And since Juyeon had his lessons with Haknyeon thrice a week, Hyunjae had decided to come by the circle while waiting for the alpha to be done. Ever since the alpha came to the palace, Hyunjae hasn’t been quite able to find time for himself; especially to practice.

The omega draws his sword, twisting his wrist, as he and Hoseok circle each other. Having been trained from a young age, Hyunjae has practiced twice as hard as any other guard. He knows he’s at a biological disadvantage, as omegas don’t build muscle like alphas, or even betas do, which is why he trained hard to get to where he is. Early on, he had quickly caught onto the tactics to use, but it was physical strength that the omega had worked so hard to gain.

Hoseok moves to strike first, and Hyunjae is meeting his sword with his own, pushing the beta back with ease, as he quickly turns to swipe at his side which he left open with his arm. The beta barely manages to deflect his move, and Hyunjae is dancing away out of reach of Hoseok’s sword as he readies himself for the next strike.

Each move is carefully planned, and Hyunjae finds himself catching Hoseok off guard more often than not. Perhaps the beta finds himself distracted by the other two watching, or maybe it’s the thought of Juyeon being there, observing, that drives Hyunjae forward in an effort to impress the alpha, but the match finishes up much quicker than Hyunjae anticipated, with his sword coming to lightly tap Hoseok’s side, and Hyunjae finds himself holding the blade up to the beta’s neck an instant later, both of their chests heaving from the activity.

“Good match,” Hyunjae says between breaths, as he sheaths his sword once more, and Hoseok nods, also breathing heavily. Hyunjae leaves the circle to go towel off, walking towards Younghoon and Juyeon, the alpha seemingly shocked as he (quite literally) watches with his mouth agape.

“I told you he was good,” Younghoon says to Juyeon as Hyunjae wipes his neck. The omega takes a drink of water, before flashing a small smile at the two. “I’m okay,” he says, and Juyeon shakes his head. “No, that was really amazing!” he exclaims, shaking his head. Hyunjae laughs at how  _ adorable _ the alpha is, before he gestures to the door. “I should go get changed and shower,” Hyunjae says

He glances behind at Hoseok, who stands across the sparring circle with his own partner, a smaller beta named Yoongi. Hyunjae watches the way Yoongi is saying something to Hoseok, which makes the beta break into a pretty heart-shaped smile, something that warms Hyunjae’s heart and makes him also feel something akin to jealousy, but only in the sense that he wishes he had something like that.

His attention is drawn away from them when Juyeon takes a hold of the prince’s hand, making Hyunjae turn to look at the alpha, eyes big. “Let’s go hyung. You’re probably dying to get clean,” Juyeon says, smiling warmly at the omega.

And Hyunjae feels his heart stutter, as he stares up at the alpha, before slowly smiling, and nods, tightening his grip on the alpha’s hand around his own, squeezing it once, as he says, “You’re right. Let’s go.”

As the omega follows the alpha into the palace, Hyunjae realized that the chance to have a relationship much like Hoseok and Yoongi’s was much closer than he thought. His hand tightened unconsciously around the alpha’s much larger one, as he smiled to himself.

* * *

Despite it being only a few days since the night they first kissed, Juyeon still can’t stop thinking about it. About his Hyunjae hyung, his gorgeous, perfect, omega, and right now, with the two of them spending some time between Hyunjae’s many meetings and duties, Juyeon feels his heart flutter.

Juyeon doesn’t know what to say. The man in front of him is ethereal, dressed in all white, and gazing out the window. He can’t look away from him. He’s so beautiful, it’s mesmerizing.

“What is it?” Hyunjae asks, when he sees the younger staring at him. Juyeon shakes his head. “Nothing, it's just...you’re so perfect,” the alpha says, unable to censor himself when it comes to Hyunjae. The omega blushes at that, and Juyeon can feel something inside of him swell with love at that sight. God, his alpha is screaming at him with every cell in its body that this was his omega. That he and Hyunjae were  _ destined _ to be together, that there was no one else but him in this world that mattered.

“You’re such a sweet talker, Juyeonnie. You always were,” Hyunjae says, avoiding eye contact. Juyeon loves the way Hyunjae calls him Juyeonnie. He loves the way Hyunjae says his name so fondly, how he talks about their past with such a soft look in his eyes. He wants to be a good alpha for him, to be the Juyeonnie of the past that Hyunjae speaks so lovingly about. He wants to make him happy.

“Only to you. Because everything I say is true,” Juyeon says, and he watches as the omega’s cheeks colour even more. Hyunjae looks at him at this point, mouth open to say something, but it dies on his lips when he sees the gentle look in Juyeon’s eyes as he looks at him -- the look that seems to be reserved only for him, and him alone.

“Juyeon,” Hyunjae says, but Juyeon cuts him off.

“Hyunjae hyung. Can I...can I kiss you?” He asks, voice barely more than a whisper. Hyunjae’s heart is pounding as the alpha looks at him like he’s the only thing that matters. He can’t believe that this was the alpha that no one wanted, that Juyeon was the one who was deemed so dangerous and feral.

All he’s seen of Juyeon ever since he brought him home was gentleness and pure love. And god, if that doesn’t have Hyunjae falling for him more and more every single day.

Hyunjae doesn’t speak. He only gets up, and sits next to Juyeon, leaning towards him so their faces are just centimetres away from each other. He stares into Juyeon’s eyes, smiling gently.

“Please,” he replies, before closing his eyes. He hears Juyeon exhale before he feels the soft press of the alpha’s lips against his own, the kiss gentle and soft, as Juyeon takes Hyunjae’s hand and laces their fingers together, his other hand coming up to cup his cheek ever so gently. The kiss is barely more than the press of Juyeon’s lips against his, yet it feels so intimate, and Juyeon treats Hyunjae like he’s delicate china; beautiful, perfect, and fragile.

God, Juyeon loves Hyunjae. He loves this omega before him, he loves that Hyunjae trusts him so wholly, that he has been able to show the omega how much he truly cares for him. Hyunjae is the only one who can make Juyeon feel this way, and he would be damned if he ever lets anyone separate them.

_ ‘I love you, my perfect omega,’  _ Juyeon thinks when he pulls away to look at Hyunjae’s face, the older’s eyes fluttering open to look up at him. His heart throbs. He wishes he had the courage to tell him that. 

_ ‘I love you more than anything on this planet. You’re the only one for me, the only thing that makes me feel alive.’  _

The sound of knocking breaks the moment between them, and Hyunjae looks up to the door, before sighing. He gives Juyeon a small smile before saying, “Duty calls,” and he stands up. Those three words are caught in Juyeon’s throat as he opens his mouth, wanting nothing more than to tell the omega how much he means to him, but he’s surprised when Hyunjae suddenly turns around and plants a kiss on his cheek, so soft and quick Juyeon wonders if he imagined it.

Hyunjae’s face is red as he says, “I’ll see you later, Juyeonnie,” and then he’s rushing out of the room. Juyeon is left there, mouth open as he holds his cheek, heart pounding and mind racing.

The kiss seems to whisper,  _ ‘I love you too, my alpha.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to post this earlier but had some stuff to do for classes >< sorry about that! Hopefully the extra long chapter makes up for it - as well as that first kiss hehe
> 
> Just an fyi, I did indeed put a little bit of a twist on the story of Orion and the Pleiades (though some sources I did look at mentioned Merope being in love with Orion, however it is more widely accepted that she married a human king instead) but I thought the anology would work for this fic so any greek mythology buffs, please excuse that lil inaccuracy ^^'
> 
> Anyways, once again, I hope you enjoyed! See you next week for the end of the first story arc! (I currently have 4 arcs planned so woohoo! 1/4 done!)
> 
> \- Eunhae
> 
> P.S.  
> It's interesting how no one has commented on the chapter titles before.... I wonder what they could be a reference to...


	4. deepening feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we begin - I would please like to advise everyone to READ THE TAGS! I don't want to give anything away, but I've seen instances of readers not reading the tags and then getting upset with what the fic depicts so. PLEASE. READ. THE. TAGS. If you're uncomfortable with any of it, I would advise you to not read the chapter, or proceed with caution.
> 
> Done reviewing the tags? Great, then let's begin~

“Are you sure I can go?”

“Oh my gosh, yes, Haknyeon, _please_ , you should be with your parents by now anyways,” Hyunjae says, as he stands outside the palace with the beta. Juyeon is just a bit behind them, and Hyunjae goes to hug his advisor and, quite frankly, one of his best friends. “Go spend some time with your family. You deserve a vacation,”

“But both the king and queen are gone on a trip as well! M-maybe I should wait until they come back,” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae pulls away, laughing. “You worry too much, old friend. I’ll be fine, and besides, Juyeon is here now. I’m sure we’ll be okay for a week without you,”

The beta is looking between the two of them, worry clearly written across his face, and Hyunjae rolls his eyes affectionately as he pats Haknyeon’s back once more. “We’ll be _fine_. Don’t worry about us, it’s only a week,” Hyunjae assures, and Juyeon steps up next to Hyunjae and nods. “You deserve a break, Haknyeon. You’ve done so much for me ever since I arrived and so much more on top of that,”

Haknyeon is looking at them again, but Hyunjae can see his resolve crumbling, and the beta finally lets out a sigh and nods. “Alright. But you two better stick together! Hyunjae, keep Juyeon up to date on his etiquette skills, and Juyeon, if I see a single hair on Hyunjae’s head harmed I _swear-_ ”

“Just go! I’m not helpless, you know!” Hyunjae says, pushing Haknyeon in the direction of the carriage. Juyeon is laughing good naturedly, and Haknyeon huffs as he climbs into the vehicle.

After they see Haknyeon off, the two of them walk back into the palace, both quiet but with a comfortable silence between them. Hyunjae thinks about his schedule for the day before realizing that he’s free until tomorrow morning, and turns to look at the alpha.

“Juyeonnie,” he says, voice soft. Juyeon stops and looks at him, eyes always so gentle, as he says, “Yes hyung?”

“How does an early dinner sound?” Hyunjae asks, and Juyeon smiles. 

“Do you not have any work to do?”

Hyunjae gives an overly exaggerated eye roll and he says, “Don’t be silly, there’s _always_ work to do. But I’m not feeling like doing it now,” he says, and the alpha laughs, which has Hyunjae smiling too. 

“Sure thing, hyung,”

They walk to the dining room, fingers entwined and both with smiles on their faces, the two of them content with just being with one another.

* * *

Dinner is usually a quiet affair - Juyeon and Hyunjae typically eat with Haknyeon and sometimes Hyunjae’s parents if they have the time or don’t have guests to entertain. But with both of his parents out on a business trip to their allies in Cadnina, and Haknyeon having a week off to spend some time with his family, the two of them are alone.

However, this just allows for the two of them to talk more freely, as there isn’t anyone but them to judge. Once the last maid leaves the two of them to dine, Hyunjae smiles as he reaches for one of the dishes, helping himself to the braised meat.

“Haknyeon told me how you practically scared the crap out of the maids, the other day,” Hyunjae says, oh-so-casually. Juyeon’s ears turn red, as he looks away, before mumbling, “I don’t like it when people I don’t know approach me so suddenly.” Hyunjae can’t help but laugh.

“God, you’re such an adorable puppy. Or kitty. Yeah, definitely more of a cat,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon looks up at him. “In my defense, they were making me feel uncomfortable. I don’t like talking to strangers,” Juyeon says, and oh god, is that a _pout_ that Hyunjae sees on the alpha?! The prince laughs as he resists the urge to reach across the table and pinch Juyeon’s cheeks.

“Sometimes I forget that you’re younger than me,” Hyunjae says, smiling. “But then you do shit like this, and gosh, you’re so cute!”

“‘M not cute,” Juyeon responds, and oh my god, his pout is deepening. Hyunjae has to prevent himself from laughing out loud and cooing at the adorable look on his alpha’s features. “Of course you aren’t,” Hyunjae says, trying to placate the alpha. Juyeon pouts at his plate, which has Hyunjae suppressing a laugh as he says, “Juyeonnie? Did I make you upset?”

The alpha’s eyes widen as he looks up at Hyunjae suddenly, shaking his head. “No! No, it’s fine hyung, you did nothing wrong,” he hurries to say, but stops when he sees Hyunjae laughing once more. “Ah, I’ll stop, I’m sorry for teasing you!” Hyunjae says between fits of giggles, but Juyeon is pouting again and Hyunjae really wants to squish his cheeks. “Juyeonnie, hyung is sorry.”

Juyeon crosses his arms in an attempt to make himself look even more upset, but the action only serves to make him look even more adorable, like a little kitten trying to throw a temper tantrum. Resisting the urge to tease further, Hyunjae asks, “What can hyung do to make it better?”

He watches as Juyeon pretends to think, before the alpha taps his cheek. “A kiss,” he says, and it’s Hyunjae’s turn to turn red. The alpha is looking at him, a small smile on his features as he watches Hyunjae splutter, face aflame, and looking _so_ surprised at his request.

“Right here,” Juyeon says, tapping his cheek again. Hyunjae feels so very embarrassed for some reason despite the fact that this isn’t his first time kissing the alpha. The prince looks around, as if he might somehow spot Haknyeon spying on them from behind one of the plants, before looking back at Juyeon, who’s got that adorable insufferable grin on his face that makes Hyunjae want to both pinch his cheek and slap him.

And since Hyunjae knows Juyeon isn’t going to let this go without getting his kiss (as well as knowing that, okay, maybe Hyunjae himself wants this as well), the prince gets up to cross the room, walking around the large dining table to make his way over to Juyeon’s side, the alpha watching his every move with that grin still on his features. When Hyunjae finally reaches Juyeon, he lets out a soft sigh and bends down to press a quick peck to his cheek.

“There. Happy?” Hyunjae asks, trying to ignore how hot his face is. Juyeon is still grinning when he says, “Aw, come on hyung, that was barely a peck, I couldn’t even feel-” and Hyunjae is cutting the alpha off by pressing a kiss to his lips, grabbing the collar of his shirt as he kisses him deeply. The alpha lets out a surprised moan, before one of his hands go to grip Hyunjae’s shoulder, the other caress his face softly.

Hyunjae isn’t sure how it happens, but he soon finds himself seated on Juyeon’s lap, straddling the younger as he kisses him like there’s no tomorrow. Like the sun would cease to rise. Like he _loves_ him. His hands card through Juyeon’s hair, tugging at the silky blue strands, as one of Juyeon’s big hands finds its way to the small of Hyunjae’s back, the other smoothing over the soft skin of the prince’s waist from where his shirt has ridden up.

Hyunjae moans into the embrace with the way Juyeon kisses him back with so much passion, so much love and adoration that Hyunjae feels like he’s drowning and flying all at the same time. Kissing Juyeon is like being set on fire and frozen in place, a wonderful mess of contradictions that seem all too fitting for the alpha.

Each press of Juyeon’s lips against Hyunjae’s has the omega squirming in delight. He has no idea what’s come over him in these moments, but with the way the alpha is pushing forwards, leaning in to the kiss as if he wants _more_ , as if he wants to be even closer to Hyunjae in a way that’s physically impossible, the prince finds himself just completely letting go. His entire life, Hyunjae has been taught to be selfless, to give things up when needed, but in this moment, even if it’s just for a day, for a singular _moment_ , Hyunjae wants to be selfish.

 _‘God, I always want to be selfish when it comes to Juyeon,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he melts into the way Juyeon is nipping at his bottom lip. Hyunjae kisses Juyeon until he physically can’t anymore, pulling away from the alpha when his lungs are burning in need of air, both of them breathing heavily as they stare at each other, eyes lidded, their lips still slightly parted. 

“Hyunjae hyung,” Juyeon breathes out, his hand going up to cup the prince’s face. Hyunjae can’t help the way he leans into the touch, eyes fluttering shut for only the briefest of moments before he’s opening them again to see Juyeon looking at him with such blatant affection that Hyunjae _feels_ his heart singing.

“Juyeonnie, I-” the prince is cut off when the sound of the door opening is heard, and the two look up to see a maid coming into the room, her eyes widening comically when she spots the compromising position the two are in. There’s a moment in which they all stare at each other in shocked silence, before the maid is squeaking out some apology as she backs out of the room quickly.

“Oh my god,” Hyunjae groans, hands coming to his face. Juyeon laughs, and the sound makes Hyunjae peek out between his fingers to look at the alpha, a smile of his own tugging at his lips. “The entire palace is going to know about this by tomorrow morning,” Hyunjae mumbles, despite the small smile that’s found it’s way onto his face as he makes the move to get up from the alpha’s lap. But Juyeon doesn’t let the older go, keeping his hands firm around the omega’s waist, and he gazes up at the prince, eyes so very soft.

“I have a feeling we won’t be eating much,” Juyeon says, voice soft as he stares up at the omega. And Hyunjae is finding himself captivated by Juyeon’s eyes, staring down with his heart palpitating. He feels as if he’s gravitating towards the alpha once more, before he snaps himself out of it, pulling himself out of the younger’s embrace so suddenly that Juyeon can’t stop him. A very adorable whine leaves the alpha, and Hyunjae would coo at it if it wasn’t for the way his face is burning red, and he practically runs to his side of the table.

“Shut up and eat your food,” Hyunjae mumbles, as he plops down in his own chair and goes back to stuffing food into his own mouth. Juyeon is still looking at him with that cheeky grin on his face, and Hyunjae huffs, but is unable to keep a grin off his face when he looks at the alpha adoringly.

* * *

Dinner finishes up uneventfully after that, with the two of them only being slightly awkward afterwards (Hyunjae would like to think that he’s built an immunity of some kind to Juyeon’s flirtatious attempts, despite them getting bolder and bolder). They lapse into periods of comfortable silence and small conversations about what they plan to do for the upcoming week (as Haknyeon had practically cleared Hyunjae’s schedule for the two of them to ‘keep each other entertained’).

“I still have some of the things from that school trip,” Hyunjae says, smiling as Juyeon perks up. “Really?” They had somehow found their way into the topic of their shared past, one that they don’t get to talk about often. Hyunjae nods, as he pushes his chair out behind him. “We can go look for them now, if you’re done?” Hyunjae says and Juyeon immediately agrees, and the two of them make their way to their shared chambers with their bellies full and hearts content.

The way that their hands naturally go to one another, fingers entwining as if they were meant to be there is like second nature now. It would be more awkward if they were walking together and weren’t holding hands, Hyunjae thinks, as he swings their hands lightly between them, childhood memories coming back to him while he thinks back to where he’s stored some of their adolescent momentos.

His mind wanders as they traverse the empty, dimly lit halls. With the waning crescent moon shedding only minimal light into the dark night, the soft glow of candles only seems to set the tone for warmth and comfort, as Hyunjae finds himself feeling so very calm with the alpha.

He thinks back to their time together, before any of this happened -- when Hyunjae was just a little boy, chasing after butterflies in the garden and running into (quite literally) a little blue haired boy, the two of them landing on their bottoms as they stared at each other.

And even though it’s probably a figment of his imagination, Hyunjae can still clearly remember how it felt as if something just _clicked_ when he first laid eyes upon Juyeon, like he was seeing the world through a filtered lens and only was able to see all the crisp colours and details then. 

_‘I definitely just over-dramaticized that memory,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. But the way little Juyeon’s eyes crinkled into a smile as he introduced himself, helping the prince up despite being younger, his mouth still having that same curve that made it seem like he knows something that you don’t, those little details, Hyunjae could never forget.

Nor could he ever forget the way his little heart jumped at the first touch, his big doe eyes looking at the (then shorter) boy curiously, immediately taking a liking to the blue haired alpha who introduced himself as “Lee Juyeon! But all my close friends call me Juyeonnie.”

That statement of his close friends calling him ‘Juyeonnie’ was soon limited to only Hyunjae, as from that day forth, the two were like an inseparable pair. His father had even joked about how they were a “buy one, get one free” package, with the way Juyeon would follow Hyunjae around. And Hyunjae had to admit, he liked having Juyeon with him everywhere - he did have the biggest crush on the younger alpha, and it was clear now that Juyeon definitely liked him then too.

 _‘Innocent puppy love,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as they arrive in front of their chambers. The hallways are empty at this time of the night since many guards are having their meals and switching in and out of duty, which allows for the two of them to not be embarrassed at the way they had eyes constantly on them whenever they were simply trying to go into the room to sleep.

As soon as they’re inside the room, Juyeon takes it upon himself to light a few candles while Hyunjae walks over to his desk, pulling out the small chest that he had bought for all his little mementos of what was his and Juyeon’s relationship was before the younger boy had left. When he was younger, he would take the items out one by one, looking at them and reminiscing what memories he had with the alpha before he left, although ever since he had been taking on actual crown prince duties, he hasn’t had a chance to do that as much.

He brings the chest to the bed, the small wooden crate no bigger than a shoebox, where the alpha is already sitting, eyes lighting up when Hyunjae opens the lid. Inside is a collection of little things Juyeon had given to Hyunjae, from pretty rocks that he found to the rose quartz necklace from the conservatory, all carefully laid within the box with care, so as to not let them be damaged by time, carefully preserved.

“I can’t believe you still have all of these,” Juyeon says, pulling some of the items out of the box gingerly. Hyunjae smiles as he picks up the necklace, perhaps his favourite of the items in the box. “I treasured them so much when you gave them to me back then. They meant the world to me.”

 _‘They still do,’_ is what Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he carefully places the necklace on the bed with the rest of the items. Juyeon is still looking at all the pieces of their memories, carefully examining them as if they were lost artifacts.

“Do you still have some of these as well?” are the words that almost leave Hyunjae’s mouth. He stops them, though, recognizing that even if Juyeon did keep them, he would’ve had to leave them behind at his parent’s house when he turned 18 and was submitted to the alpha facilities. His heart aches. If he could, he would get rid of those horrid places forever, but Hyunjae’s not so foolish as to think that would stand - the sudden disbandment of the alpha facilities would cause chaos and uprisings among those who have been conditioned to think that alphas are viscous, uncivilized, aggressive creatures.

And as Hyunjae looks at Juyeon, he remembers the fact that he still knows what Juyeon has done his best to bury deep down inside. _‘Would it be cruel of me to remind him of all those memories when it’s so clear he just wants to move on?’_ Hyunjae asks himself, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. He shakes his head. No. That’s just him trying to weasel his way out of telling Juyeon the truth, the truth that Juyeon deserves to know. The prince has put it off for far too long at this point. 

_‘Even if he hates me, even if he thinks I’m like those cruel monsters who he...who he belonged to before,’_ Hyunjae stops himself there. Who was he to think of those past omegas as anything different from himself? He acts so righteous and upright when in reality, he’s just contributing to the problem. The mere fact he had ‘bought’ Juyeon, even if it was under the guise of ‘rescuing’ him. He’s no better than the rest.

His stomach turns uncomfortably. Memories of their hand holding, their cuddling, their _kisses._ Were they all just a figment of his imagination? Was he seeing emotions in there that didn’t exist? Did Juyeon only cooperate because that’s what was expected of him? _‘Did any of that even matter to you?’_

No. He has to stop that. Younghoon himself said he saw love in Juyeon’s eyes. Hyunjae takes a deep breath as he looks at the alpha, his smile feeling all too tight on his face as Juyeon carefully places the items back inside the box. _‘I need to tell him. I can’t keep pretending I did nothing wrong,’_

And so as Hyunjae takes the chest and puts it back in its place, safe within his drawer, he forces himself to speak.

“Juyeon-” Hyunjae is cut off by the way Juyeon is suddenly shushing him. The prince’s eyes are wide as he sees Juyeon perched on the bed, looking out the balcony door. There’s a moment of tense silence, Juyeon’s eyes sharp on the balcony, and Hyunjae finds himself unsure of what’s going on. He opens his mouth to speak once more but stops when he hears it.

There’s a strange noise coming from the direction of the terrace -- something that sounds like scraping of shoes against cement, and Hyunjae doesn’t know what to think of it.

Silently, he goes over to the doors, ignoring Juyeon’s whispered “Hyung!” as Hyunjae peers outside the doors. He checks both sides of the balcony and sees nothing out of the ordinary. But the hair on the back of Hyunjae’s neck is standing up and he quickly makes his way back into the room, locking the glass doors behind him. Something isn’t right.

Juyeon is standing up at this point, eyes scanning the seemingly tranquil scenery outside. As soon as Hyunjae see’s Juyeon’s eyes widen, he’s diving to the side without any prompt, the omega just barely ducking out of the way of an arrow that flies through the glass, shattering it.

“Fuck,” Hyunjae hissed under his breath, as he picks himself up, going to his closet. Juyeon is already growling, eyes darting around while Hyunjae flings the doors open, searching for his sword, his stomach dropping when he realizes he had taken it to the blacksmith to sharpen and clean.

Hyunjae’s heart drops when he realizes what’s going on. The guards aren’t at their post. His sword is missing. Both his parents and Haknyeon aren’t around, and someone is trying to kill him.

“Fuck, shit,” Hyunjae is cursing as his mind races, trying to think of what he can do. The sounds of screaming from outside his bedroom door are loud, and his fingers itch to grab his sword and join the fray, to protect his people, but he knows that they’re headed here, and he feels so _helpless_.

He locks the door quickly before running to his desk and grabs the letter opener. It isn’t much and would require him to get too close to confront his enemy, but it’s better than nothing. Hyunjae positions himself with his back against the bathroom door, allowing himself to see both the balcony and the door. He opens his mouth to tell Juyeon to stay behind him, when he sees the alpha’s eyes taking on that blood red colour once more, dark claws forming as he stands in front of the door.

Hyunjae’s eyes widen, as his stomach flips. _‘No. Juyeon can’t get hurt because of me,’_

“Juyeon! Get away from the door!” Hyunjae whisper-yells but the alpha doesn’t move an inch. Hyunjae’s heart thumps painfully as he stares at the alpha, hands slightly trembling.

* * *

“Juyeon, please,” Hyunjae begs, but the alpha isn’t having any of it. His eyes glow a scarlet red, and he put himself between the door and the prince, claws appearing as he listens for intruders. 

He may not know how to use a sword well, but he would never let anyone hurt his omega. If there is only one thing he is good at, and it’s tearing people apart from limb to limb, which is why the moment the doors are forced open, Juyeon is launching himself at the first man, slicing his neck open as he growls viciously. The other’s eyes are wide, and Juyeon wastes no time plowing through them like they’re nothing but stalks of grain, taking out one after another with ease.

This is the first time he’s gone feral since Hyunjae brought him to the palace, and while he’s been trying hard to hold back, he’s unable to control himself with the mere thought of Hyunjae getting wounded driving him forwards. The idea that someone was trying to harm his prince, his _everything,_ is what had Juyeon moving forwards, rage building up inside of him as he swiftly dispatches man after man with ease, unhearing of their cries and the gasp of the omega behind him.

It’s not long before he’s no longer standing on two feet and he shifts into his wolf form, snapping men in half with his jaw and ripping into them, preventing anyone from entering the room. He would not let a single hair on his omega’s head be harmed and he continues to go feral on them, even as guards arrive.

It’s only when he hears Hyunjae’s voice crying his name out does he snap out of his blood induced rage, the redness of his eyes fading slightly when he turns to see Hyunjae behind him, eyes watery. Immediately Juyeon runs to him, whining gently as he nudges the prince’s leg. Hyunjae lets out a sob as he collapses, hugging Juyeon’s body to his own. Unable to speak in his wolf form, Juyeon can only let out worried whimpers while Hyunjae hugs him tightly.

“Oh my god, Juyeon,” Hyunjae cries, pulling his hands away to look at the blood staining not only Hyunjae’s hands, but also his shirt. Juyeon immediately takes the chance to turn back into his human form and he grabs Hyunjae’s arms, checking all over his body. 

“Are you hurt anywhere? What’s the matter?” Juyeon asks, scanning his omega over, but Hyunjae shakes his head. “I’m fine, please, it’s you I’m worried about,” Hyunjae says between tears, and Juyeon softens immediately. He takes Hyunjae’s face into his hands as he smoothes thumbs over his cheeks, rubbing his tears away.

“Oh baby, I’m fine,” he says, and Hyunjae only cries harder. Ignoring the guards who are dragging away what’s left of the intruders, Juyeon hugs Hyunjae to his chest, pressing kisses to the top of his head. “I’m okay, you’re okay baby, it’s all alright now,” he says, trying to calm his omega down. Hyunjae hits his chest weakly.

“Don’t ever do that again! You know I can fight, don’t you dare put yourself in harm’s way like that again!” Hyunjae says, rubbing his eyes. Juyeon lets out a small strained laugh at that. Seeing his omega cry made his heart hurt, yet he was glad it wasn’t because he was in pain. 

“I don’t want you to get hurt, Hyunjae. You’re my omega, mine to protect. Of course I would put myself in harm’s way for you. I did it to protect you,” Juyeon says, voice soft, and Hyunjae sniffles, as he looks up at the younger. Juyeon smiles warmly, pressing his lips to Hyunjae’s palms. 

“I’m not helpless,” Hyunjae says, but Juyeon brushes his hair out of his eyes, before sweeping more of his tears away. Even with tears streaking his face, eyes puffy, and nose red, Hyunjae remains the most beautiful person Juyeon has ever seen. God, he’s so whipped for Lee Hyunjae - he wishes he could spend the rest of his life staring at his beautiful face.

“I know you aren’t, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you got hurt, baby,” he says, and Hyunjae lets out a watery laugh. “Pet names now?” the prince jokes, but Juyeon can see the way his hands are trembling. Juyeon picks Hyunjae up, letting the prince hide his face in his shirt as guards hurry into the room to escort both Juyeon and Hyunjae to a more secure location.

The entire way, Hyunjae clings onto Juyeon’s arm, the two of them covered in blood. The prince is in a daze when they’re placed in a room with no balcony and guards lining the hallways, and Juyeon has to coax Hyunjae into the bathroom to shower.

“Do you… do you want me to stay with you?” Juyeon asks when he sees how the omega is still shaking slightly. The prince opens his mouth to tell him he’ll be fine, but when Juyeon sees the first tear fall, he wastes no time in turning on the water and stripping out of his own clothes, with Hyunjae shyly following suit.

And even though Juyeon has the omega naked in front of him, he swiftly and carefully cleans the shell-shocked prince, who’s silently crying as the adrenaline wears off. Juyeon makes sure to clean all the blood off the older, letting out a breath of silent relief when he realizes the blood on Hyunjae was from hugging him.

Juyeon quickly cleaning himself as well, washing off all the blood of the intruders that stain his skin, before looking over at the omega who’s staring at him, eyes still watery. Juyeon leaves the spray of the warm water to move over to the other end of the tub where Hyunjae is standing, looking at him. For a moment, the two just stand there, staring at each other, and Juyeon’s heart hurts when he sees the anguish and fear clear in the omega’s eyes. 

_‘Please don’t leave me again.’_ The words ring loudly in the prince’s gaze, and Juyeon can’t help the way his heart twists painfully as he cups the omegas cheeks and leans in to press kisses to Hyunjae’s face, his eyelids, every space where his tears have touched.

Eventually, they step out of the shower in silence, the two both drying off. With Haknyeon not around, there’s no one to bring them a change of clothes, and Hyunjae slips on a bathrobe, while Hyunjae urges Juyeon to wear the pants that he had been wearing.

The rest of the night is a blur. The physician comes in at one point to check on both of them, the omega visibly relieved when the man tells the prince that Juyeon is fine aside from a few bruised knuckles. Finally, when they’re alone again, they both sit on the bed, pressed close to one another, but neither speaking nor sleeping. 

“Are you...are you okay?” Hyunjae’s voice breaks the silence of the room. Juyeon looks over at the prince and his heart seizes up in his chest. Hyunjae is trying so hard to act strong, to act brave in the face of literal death, and Juyeon can’t help but embrace the omega, not answering his question, but instead letting the prince cry in his chest.

The scene is all too familiar to weeks prior, and Juyeon finds himself holding the omega as his own eyes become wet. The thought of losing Hyunjae, the thought of being unable to let the prince know what he meant to him all those years ago, what he means to him now, what he’ll probably always mean to him until the end of time is crushing. Juyeon tries so very hard to hold back his own tears, but ends up crying into the omega’s hair as they just sit like that, the two crying and yet finding comfort in each other.

* * *

Hyunjae hardly sleeps that night.

Even with Juyeon curled around him, even with the exhaustion of the day weighing heavily on him, he hardly gets a wink of sleep. Which is why when morning comes and the doors of their temporary chambers are being flung open, he startles so badly, hardly even recognizing the fact that it’s his parents at first.

His mother is all over him, crying as she hugs him close, and his father hovers worriedly behind her, eyes scanning his son in case he might somehow be hiding some broken bones. Despite being woken abruptly from what little sleep he got, Hyunjae finds himself relaxing in his mother’s embrace, as he hugs her back.

“I’m fine, Eomma,” he says, voice still husky from sleep. He glances over at his father, who he can tell is holding back his own tears, and the prince rolls his eyes endearingly, trying to lighten the mood.

He can tell Juyeon is unsure what to do in this situation, especially since it’s a bit awkward that the alpha is half naked while his parents are there, but neither say or do anything until the queen has calmed down a bit, letting her son go slightly.

“We rushed home as soon as we heard what happened,” his father explains. “You’re not hurt anywhere?” his mother asks and Hyunjae shakes his head. “I told you, everything is fine. Juyeon took care of everything,” he says, glancing back at the alpha. Both the king and queen look at the boy at the mention of his name, and the younger seems to freeze in his spot. 

“Thank you,” his mother says, reaching over to place a delicate hand on one of Juyeon’s large ones. “Thank you for protecting my son,”

“I made a promise, remember? I would protect Hyunjae, even at the cost of my life,” Juyeon says, smiling back at the queen, and Hyunjae feels his heart flutter as he smiles at the alpha, fingers itching to comb through his hair.

“Yes, well hopefully it won’t come to that. I think it’s best for us to assign you a second bodyguard to be with you everywhere, 24/7,” Hyunjae’s head whips around to look at his father. “What?”

“Haknyeon can’t be with you all the time. And if whoever is responsible for this decides to strike once more, I don’t want them to complete their goal,” the king says, and Hyunjae frowns. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m more than capable of defending myself,” Hyunjae protests and the king opens his mouth to argue, when Juyeon’s voice cuts into their conversation.

“With all due respect, your highness, but I am more than capable of protecting my mate,” the three family members all look at Juyeon again, the alpha’s eyes brimming with determination. Something in Hyunjae’s heart jumps when he hears Juyeon call him his _mate_ , though he clamps it down. _‘He’s just saying that because they think we’re a couple,’_ Hyunjae reminds himself, urging his heart to stop pounding so rapidly for no reason. 

“Yes, yes, and you’ve proven that, but I still think it would be best if we got Hyunjae another bodyguard,” the king says, to which Hyunjae rolls his eyes, standing up. “Father, you KNOW I can take care of myself. I don’t want some random dude following me everywhere, and besides. Juyeon’s right. If for whatever reason I’m unable to defend myself, he’ll be with me,” Hyunjae says, reaching a hand behind him to take Juyeon’s into his own. There’s a moment of silence, where the king looks at the two, and Hyunjae holds the stare confidently, unrelenting. But it’s finally broken by the queen laughing.

“Honey, just let them be. You know you would’ve acted in the same way if it was us and my father wanted to give me a bodyguard,” she says, touching her husband’s hand. The king looks at her, and frowns, but he mumbles something about how “it’s not the same”, despite them all knowing that is it.

“I still don’t like the fact anything could happen to you. Wouldn’t it be better to have a trained professional with you at all times?” the king worries, and Hyunjae is about to sigh and retort, when Juyeon speaks up again.

“If it would put your heart at ease, your majesty, I am more than willing to learn whatever it may take to allow me to act as Hyunjae’s bodyguard,” he says, and Hyunjae feels his heart warm. _‘Oh Juyeon,’_ he thinks to himself, his thumb going to rub over the alpha’s knuckles. _‘You’re honestly too good to me,’_

“Fine. I’ll allow this arrangement to take place if Juyeon is willing to train with the guard 3 times a week. And when you’re alone during that time,” the king directs this last part to Hyunjae “Haknyeon is to be with you at all times. I’ll have his schedule re-organized to allow it.”

At this point, the king and queen take their leave, giving Hyunjae and Juyeon time alone. The prince lets out a sigh and sinks back down onto the bed, and there’s a pause, before Juyeon is squeezing Hyunjae’s hand and asking “You feel better, hyung?” The omega looks up at Juyeon, seeing the softness in his eyes, as he smiles, and hugs him once more. “I guess. I don’t know. A little bit?” Hyunjae mumbles, tucking his face into the crook of Juyeon’s neck. The alpha only hums in response, and they stay like that for a little bit, just holding one another, with the alpha drawing comforting little patterns over Hyunjae’s back.

The events of last night will probably haunt Hyunjae for a while. It would be strange if they didn’t, but with Juyeon by his side, Hyunjae knows he’ll be fine. _‘I’ll get through this too,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, taking deep, comforting breaths of Juyeon’s scent. _‘Everything will be okay. We’ll both be okay,’_

* * *

The days following has Haknyeon returning to the palace early, literally flinging himself at the omega and sobbing as he does so screaming about how he’s never going to take a vacation again and that if Hyunjae let himself get hurt he would kill him. Hyunjae is laughing at the beta’s actions, trading glances with Juyeon, the alpha also amused, as Haknyeon rambles on and on about how he _knew_ it wouldn’t be a good idea.

Haknyeon also ensures to give Juyeon a stern talking to about protecting Hyunjae, but eventually cries once more as he thanks the alpha for keeping both of them alive. Juyeon looks thoroughly confused as to how to act with Haknyeon literally clinging onto him and crying, which has Hyunjae laughing good naturedly and prying the beta off him.

Younghoon and Changmin also come to visit, the two fussing over Hyunjae about how “you need to be more careful!” and “how could the guards have not been at their post?” The last point has Hyunjae wondering the same - he knows that the entire case is being investigated, but it’s a fair point to make.

He hears from Haknyeon that they managed to capture one of the intruders alive (one of the few that Juyeon didn’t totally rip to shreds) and are in the process of extracting information. They had also found a cloth piece bearing the Cadnina crest on one of the body’s, but upon inspection, Hyunjae recognizes it as the piece that his uncle tried to use to instigate war upon their neighbouring kingdom.

His jaw tightens as he realizes. His eyes close and his hands form into fists, as he shakes his head. _‘It couldn’t have been him… could it?’_

And yet only a few days later, the captive confirms that yes, it was indeed his uncle who came to them in a shady alley just outside the city and paid off him and his friends for an attack on his life, but not mentioning anything about an alpha, and had Hyunjae and Juyeon been there when the man spat these words out, Hyunjae is almost positive Juyeon would’ve tried to kill him too. The alpha is growling that low tone even after the messenger leaves, and only stops once Hyunjae is coming to sit beside him, taking the younger’s hand into his own.

He isn’t sure why he’s not more shocked at the reveal being his uncle. Perhaps it’s because the man never really saw Hyunjae as his nephew; rather a rival. Or maybe it’s just that after everything that’s happened, this mere fact is relatively low on the scale of shock.

 _‘I hope father will be okay,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he presses his body closer to Juyeon’s eyes closing as the alpha holds him.

Despite not being directly involved with the investigation (his mother insisted that he remain safe with the alpha until everything is resolved), both Haknyeon and the messengers that the beta sends, keep him up to date on everything regarding this case.

It’s been about a week since the attack when Haknyeon himself comes to their temporary chambers (as the window in their usual room has to be replaced), bearing news about what’s happened.

“We finally found the old geezer. He was caught in one of the underground passageways out of the kingdom, trying to load his gold and expensive furniture onto a boat out of the city,” Haknyeon spits out. Juyeon scoffs, rolling his eyes, and Hyunjae’s expression remains stoic as he nods. “His wife and children are out of the city - they’re not due to return back until next week, but your father has called for them to be back as soon as possible.”

“The coward was going to run away with everything and leave his family behind?” Juyeon asks, voice raised just slightly, and Haknyeon lets out a sigh, before nodding. “It seems that way.”

Hyunjae can hear Juyeon swearing under his breath, and the omega closes his eyes, lips pressed tightly together. He never was close with his cousins, nor his aunt, but the thought of that man running away, leaving his wife to take care of two children with little to no resources to do so makes him sick.

“Anyways, he’s being held in a cell in the dungeon. As soon as his family returns, your father has scheduled for a court hearing to take place..he wants you to carry out what judgement you deem fit,”

Hyunjae’s eyes widen at the words. He definitely did not expect this.

“What?” the prince asks and Haknyeon nods. “You heard me correctly. I’m sure if you’re uncomfortable with that, your father can arrange for someone else to do it, but he seemed quite insistent that you do what you deem fit to him.”

Haknyeon leaves soon after, the alpha seeing him out, before coming to sit on the couch beside the omega. Neither say anything for a while, but Hyunjae knows what the alpha is itching to ask.

“I don’t know yet,” is what Hyunjae simply says, breaking the silence. Juyeon is frowning, as he says, “If you’re unsure, you can just let me have a minute or two with him,” the alpha barely restraining himself from shifting. Hyunjae places a hand on the younger’s shoulder, as he scoots closer to him. “I know you would,”

His heart is warm for the alpha’s actions. The fact he’s getting so worked up over this has Hyunjae feeling so very _soft_ for him; he knows that Juyeon’s EQ is high, that much was very obvious from the beginning. But seeing how upset he is over this incident, while it does pain him to see the alpha angry and rattled, the omega can’t help but admit it felt nice to have someone worry over him.

He doesn’t say much more on the topic after that, and Juyeon doesn’t press him. The thought weighs heavily on his mind, being one of the only things that he constantly thinks of, even as three days pass, even as he sees his aunt and cousins return, even as he’s getting ready to attend the court hearing.

The omega stares at his reflection in the mirror. His blonde hair is neatly combed and styled, his clothes pristine, from his white suit jacket to his black pants. He lets out a sigh. The hearing is in less than an hour, and the prince didn’t know why _he_ was so nervous.

He had thought of a punishment. It came to him whilst he was trying to fall asleep, something Hyunjae has been having a bit of difficulty of late. And while it was probably what anyone else would do to the man, Hyunjae felt as if it was especially fitting.

“Are you ready to go?” He turns to see Juyeon, the alpha standing behind him in his own newly taliored outfit. The black on black ensemble made Hyunjae think that the younger was going to a funeral - though he did imagine that in a sense, it was something like that.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Hyunjae mumbles, as he takes the younger’s hand in his and lets out a breath, the two sharing a look, before they head towards the doors.

The weight of Juyeon’s hand in his is a welcome distraction, soothing, calming, and something to keep his mind off what lay in front of him. Hyunjae’s heart was pounding, and he had no idea why.

Even once they were inside the courthouse, Hyunjae sitting with his mother and father in the sectioned off area for royalty, the prince tucked beside the queen with Juyeon sitting on his other side, and Haknyeon sitting behind him, sword strapped to his side, as well as multiple guards littering the area, he felt nervous. He couldn’t help the way his eyes keep wandering to the woman he knows as his aunt, the woman’s eyes looking red and puffy, two children who looked to be younger than 12 next to her. He can feel his heart hurting for her.

Juyeon is squeezing Hyunjae’s hand, getting the omega’s attention. He looks at the alpha questioningly, and Juyeon only smiles, squeezing his hand in three quick successions, something that the alpha liked to do from time to time. Still unsure about what is meant, the omega almost opened his mouth to ask, when he hears a whispering and murmuring erupt across those come to bear witness.

And he looks up to see two guards dragging in his uncle, the older man looking venomously at the crowd that has gathered. Hyunjae steels his expression, especially when the man’s beady eyes land on him, eyes holding so much _hate_ in them. He doesn’t let himself appear weak, raising his chin, and staring down his nose at the man who’s being led to the front and centre of the room. He doesn’t break eye contact, gaze hard and unflinching, until the man looks away himself.

The entire exchange doesn’t go unnoticed by Juyeon, who’s hand Hyunjae was holding onto so very tightly during the entire thing, the alpha growling lowly, nor does it go unnoticed from both his mother and father, the woman looping her arm comfortingly with her son, and his father tsking.

“Filth,” he can hear the older man comment, and Hyunjae takes deep breaths.

The court hearing proceeds. The prince is unhearing to a lot of what is being said, trying to pay attention, but finding the words going in one ear and coming out the other. He does, however, find himself looking at the man in disgust when he hears of the charges of child neglect and the unfulfillment of contracts regarding his wife and the equal distribution of resources, something that has Hyunjae’s mouth hardening into a firm line. 

“Bastard,” he can hear Haknyeon whispering under his breath behind him, the beta spitting the word out with venom in his voice.

Hyunjae knows the court hearing is more of a formal thing than anything. Which is why he isn’t too worried about missing something, only wanting to know his uncle’s motivation behind it all; why did his uncle want to kill him?

When the judge orchestrating the entire hearing allows his uncle to speak to explain himself, Hyunjae finds his grip on Juyeon’s hand tightening again, knuckles turning white. He doesn’t know why he’s so nervous, doesn’t know why he feels like he might vomit.

The man turns to look right at the royal family and Hyunjae can feel his grip on Juyeon’s hand tightening even more. The alpha tenses, as if ready to spring to aid if needed, and Hyunjae can tell even his parents are tense. A quick glance at Haknyeon from his peripheral confirms that the beta’s hand is on his sword, and Hyunjae briefly wonders if he should’ve worn his own.

“My dear, brother,” the beta spits out the word with venom in his voice as his eyes narrow on the king. “You, of all people, should know why I did what I did,” the man says and Hyunjae risks a small glance at the alpha. His father’s expression is one of stone, emotionless and cold as he stares down at his younger brother. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t the smallest as to why you would try and kill my son,” he says back, the words cold.

Hyunjae feels his mother reaching to take his own hand in hers, and he holds it tightly, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. He watches his uncle scoff as his gaze slides over to Hyunjae, and the omega freezes, yet he ensures not to let a single emotion show on his face. Years of building up walls and learning to deal with court officials have taught him well. He won’t let his uncle get the satisfaction of seeing fear on his features.

“You know I’m far better suited to run the counsel than that omega _bitch_ you call a son,” he sneers, and Hyunjae can hear and feel Juyeon snarling, muscles tensing as if to move. Hyunjae is quick to place their joined hands on his lap, stopping him with a sharp squeeze. He holds his uncle’s gaze, chin held high. However, the small movement of Juyeon had drawn the beta’s attention, and he scoffs as he says “He’s fucking lucky he got himself a new plaything - I would’ve had his pretty little head on a spike if I could-”

“Enough. You really sent men after my son because you wanted to run a _counsel_? Are you out of your mind?” the king asks, and his uncle is sneering at Juyeon one last time, before turning to face the king once more. Hyunjae can hear the alpha mutter “Come at me, fucker,” under his breath, as the other two continue to speak. Hyunjae squeezes Juyeon’s hand three times, not knowing what it means, but hoping to distract him. And it does, when the alpha’s head shoots up to look at the prince, eyes wide and Hyunjae gives him a small smile.

 _‘An outburst would only make things worse,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he looks at the alpha. He knows Juyeon cares for him deeply, but him shouting, or even launching himself at his uncle would only cause chaos. He lets his eyes linger on Juyeon’s (which are wide, making Hyunjae wonder what the three squeezes mean for a second) before he’s looking back to the display at hand.

“Of course not, I’m not as _stupid_ as you. You and you’re idiotic idealistic beliefs, trying to abolish alpha segregation,” his uncle scoffs, and Hyunjae has to hold his tongue. His father had indeed tried to abolish the strict laws regarding alphas when Hyunjae was much younger, but failed when the nobles and majority of the population disagreed with the idea.

“I did it because your pansy of a son doesn’t see what kind of opportunities invading Cadnina would possess. He doesn’t see what kind of power and wealth we could accumulate, and ridding of him whilst pinning the attack on those wretched Cadninians would be the perfect way to proceed,” his uncle says, lip curling. He can feel his mother’s grip on his hand tightened. Being good friends with the royal family of Cadnina due to familial relations, he can tell she’s infuriated at the very thought.

“That’s ridiculous. We have and always will have good relations with the North,” the king responds and the beta scoffs. “You’ve grown _weak_ Kyunghoon. You only see it as such because your _whore_ of a wife-”

“Hold your tongue, Kyungrok. Know your place,” the king interjects, voice sharp and cold. Hyunjae glares at the man with venom in his eyes as he holds his mother’s hand, and he can hear Juyeon swearing at the older man under his breath.

“Hyunjae,” the king says, turning to look at his son, and both his parents look at him. He glances back at them, before nodding once, shakily, and the king stands up.

“The royal Lee linage has found you, Lee Kyungrok, guilty of attempted murder, as well as treason against the royal family. I have given full authority to crown prince Lee Hyunjae to punish as deemed fit,” the king announces to the court, and Hyunjae takes a deep breath as he stands once his father is done.

His eyes scan the people watching, all members of the royal counsel, along with some others. He spots Younghoon and Changmin, along with Chanhee and Sunwoo, as well as some other palace staff, before his eyes gloss over his uncle’s family, the woman and her two children watching. He silently apologizes to her for what she may have experienced, if the rumors of how the man treated his family was true.

Finally, he looks straight at his uncle, the beta seemingly unflinching. Contrary to what Hyunjae thought he would feel, the omega can only find himself pitying the man before him. Anger, rage, fear, all of those emotions cease to exist after seeing what a pitiful, desperate, despicable man his uncle truly is. The prince stares at him, eyes cold and unflinching, before Hyunjae opens his mouth to speak.

“Lee Kyungrok. For your crimes against the crown, the state, and myself…” the prince casts another glance at the woman who is his wife. _‘If I remember correctly, her name is Choi Yoojung,’_ he thinks to himself, before looking at her two children once more, a little girl and a little boy whose names he doesn’t know.

Hyunjae takes a deep breath and opens his eyes, looking at the crowd once more. “You will be sent into exile for 5 years. You will also forfeit all your possessions and titles - permanently. All of your titles, your wealth, your land, and your possessions will be given to you partner as compensation for what she was denied in the years you cheated her.”

The prince watches as the blood drains from his uncle’s face. He knew that man only craved two things - money and power. Which is why Hyunjae knew taking that away from him and giving it to the person who needed it the most would be the best way to handle the situation.

“If you are seen to approach Choi Yoojung after your exile, more years can and will be added,” Hyunjae looks over at the woman, making eye contact with her. She has tears streaming down her cheeks, and Hyunjae can see how conflicted she looks. But she bows her head when she looks at him, before putting a hand over her heart and smiling. 

_‘This poor woman. She must’ve truly loved this man, despite everything he had done,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. He gestures to the judge to signal he is done, as he moves to sit back down, as the guards come in to drag Kyungrok back to his cell. But the beta is shaking his head, resisting as he starts to panic.

“No. No, no, no! You can’t take it from me! Everything that I’ve built up! It’s mine!” the beta is screaming, as he flails. The guards are struggling to contain him, and Hyunjae forces himself to remain calm and collected as he sees his uncle literally turning red in his desperate attempt to resist. “You! Lee Hyunjae! You bitch! I’ll get you, you fucking whore, just you wait-” before either Hyunjae or Juyeon could even react, there’s a knife flying past the beta’s ear, just knicking him, a hair’s breadth away from slicing off his ear.

“Oops,” Haknyeon comments from behind Hyunjae, the beta holding a second throwing knife. “My hand seemed to have slipped. Just as your manners, Kyungrok-sshi,” the beta levels his uncle with a scary look, and the man stops resisting, ear bleeding from the slightly scrape Haknyeon caused, as the guards drag him away.

It’s only once his uncle is out of sight does Hyunjae release the breath he was holding. His hands are shaking. His feet feel numb. He just wants to go back to their chambers and pass out.

“You did good, hyung,” he hears Juyeon whisper beside him, and Hyunjae is nodding weakly, and he grabs Juyeon’s hand. “After this, I need to go back to our room,” he whispers back, and Juyeon seems to notice something is off. “Are you okay?”

Hyunjae forces a smile to his lips. “Just a bit of a headache. I need to lie down for a bit,” Hyunjae says. The alpha doesn’t seem convinced, but Hyunjae forces himself to sit politely throughout the rest of the court hearing, not processing any information as he feels like he’s almost floating outside his body, not really in control.

When the judge is finally hitting the gavel to signal that the court has been adjourned, Hyunjae is turning to his mother. “I’m not feeling too well,” he says, and she looks at him. “Oh no, what’s wrong?” she asks and Hyunjae shakes his head. “Just a bit dizzy. My head hurts, I’ll be heading back to my chambers with Juyeon, if that’s okay with you,”

“Yes, yes, go rest. You did well today,” she says, smiling and Hyunjae tries his best to smile back, but it feels like too much effort. He’s sweating. His throat feels tight, and he marches away from the building quickly, trying to get back to their shared chambers as soon as possible.

“Hyung,” he can hear Juyeon practically jogging after him, the alpha trying to keep up to the omega’s fast steps. The omega doesn’t reply, only continuing to put as much space between himself and the courtroom as possible. He doesn’t know why he feels so uneasy, but he has to get away from there.

“Hyung, what’s wrong?” The alpha’s voice sounds far away, despite Hyunjae knowing that Juyeon is right behind him. The prince feels like he might throw up. His throat is constricting and his hands are still shaking.

 _‘Why am I acting this way?’_ Hyunjae is throwing the doors to their chambers open as soon as he sees them and leans over against the desk, trying to _breathe_. He closes his eyes against the dizziness he feels, heart pounding and head hurting. 

He doesn’t realize that he’s suppressing tears until Juyeon is turning him around gently, the alpha looking at him concerned. “Hyung,” Juyeon says, taking his hands in his own. “You’re shaking,”

The tender way the alpha looks at him has tears welling up in Hyunjae’s eyes. “Fuck, I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m like this, I just, oh my god,” Hyunjae says, as he wipes at his eyes. Juyeon doesn’t move as he stares at the prince, before sighing, and saying, “It’s okay hyung. Let it all out.”

And Hyunjae stares up at Juyeon for a moment, but with the way the alpha spreads his arms as invitation, the prince can’t help it as he flings himself towards the younger, crying into his chest. He hates that he’s so weak. That his uncle’s plans were so close to pulling through, that he let that wretched man be able to make him feel scared. He hates that he suspects almost every shadow he sees now, that he’s afraid he may wake up one day and Juyeon wouldn’t be there in bed with him because he’s busy protecting him. The thought of the alpha getting hurt because of Hyunjae tears him apart, even though he knows his big, stupidly kind, loving alpha would get in the way without a second thought.

 _‘Juyeon is too good for this kind of life. Too good for me,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, only furthering him crying into the alpha’s chest, as Juyeon just holds him. The younger is pressing his lips to the crown of his head as the omega just cries. The emotional toll of pretending to be strong, of pretending to be unphased, of pretending to not care is finally catching up to him; after years and years of suppressing it, Hyunjae finally feels like it’s okay to be weak sometimes.

 _‘He’s always like this, he’s always been so good at letting me just lean on him,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he tries to gather himself. And he’s decided, he’s going to set things straight. If Hyunjae truly wants to be honest and open with the alpha, he needs to tell him.

“Juyeonnie,” he says, voice cracking as he pulls away slightly. The alpha is looking down at him, eyes still so warm as he lets out a quiet hum, and Hyunjae is wringing his fingers as he gathers the courage to say the words. “I need to tell you something,”

“There’s actually something I need to tell you too,” the alpha says, and Hyunjae shakes his head. “No, I...I need you to listen to me first. I... I just want to say I’m sorry,” the prince starts and Juyeon is letting out a soft laugh as he says “For what? All you’ve done is be kind to me ever since I’ve arrived,”

“It’s just… I’m sorry for not telling you earlier, and I know it’s a complete invasion of privacy and I didn’t _mean_ to read it, but it was just there in front of me and-” Hyunjae stops himself as he pauses to breath, before he’s looking at the alpha again. “I read a small bit of your file. The one the facility gave Haknyeon. It was just one sentence but it was the part regarding your past masters and,” Hyunjae watches as Juyeon’s expression changes, eyes widening slightly as he realizes what Hyunjhae is talking about.

“I knew I should’ve told you sooner, it’s just that I didn’t know what to say, and I know I shouldn’t have, but it was an accident and I… I’m just so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” the omega finally says, hanging his head between his shoulders. He closes his eyes, as he awaits the alpha to do or say anything. The silence lasts for what seems like an eternity - Hyunjae reasons with himself that he shouldn’t be surprised if Juyeon doesn’t want to see him for a while, or if the alpha is upset with him - rightfully so, but he still feels like he might burst into tears again if he’s forced to sleep alone tonight.

Finally, Juyeon is letting out a breath, before saying, “That’s what you’re so worked up about?” Hyunjae’s eyes snap open and he looks up at the alpha, expecting to see anger or shock in them. Not the same gentle warmness, accompanied with a slight smile tugging at the younger’s lips.

“You’re...you’re not mad?” Hyunjae asks, voice hesitant, and Juyeon smiles once more, as he hugs the prince close to himself. “Hyung, you know I’ve been through three other masters at this point. I know that they get my file, and I know most of what it contains. I’m...actually kind of touched that you made a point not to, even though you have every right to. I mean, after all, I belong to you,”

The words have Hyunjae shaking his head, trying to will away the warm and fuzzy feelings that erupt in his chest at those last four words. “N-no, you’re your own person, with your own will and agency. I- you don’t belong to anyone but yourself,”

(Hyunjae doesn’t see the way Juyeon almost rebutts, the alpha unconsciously touching the bracelet Hyunjae gave him on their trip)

“If… if you thought I had read it, then why didn’t you say anything? Especially when I asked you, that day. About. You know. Your past,” Hyunjae asks, and Juyeon raises a shoulder. “I guess… I just don’t really want to think about it? There was a lot of shit that I was through, and I mean. I never really had anyone to talk to about it. So I just kind of buried it deep down,” even as Juyeon tries to smile as he says the words, Hyunjae can see the pain in his eyes as he talks about that.

He can’t believe Juyeon had to struggle through that by himself. From everything he’s seen of the alpha, Juyeon is the type to love to share his thoughts and ideas, be it something small or big. He constantly is sharing his feelings, and to be going through that kind of _abuse_ alone? Hyunjae shakes his head.

“I don’t want to force you to do anything, Juyeonnie. But I think that you- no, _we_ should see a therapist. Someone trained to deal with this type of stuff,” Hyunjae says. Juyeon looks like he’s about to object, but Hyunjae cuts him off, saying, “You don’t have to tell me anything. Take your time and do what you feel is right. We don’t even have to start right away, or ever, if you’re not comfortable with it, but… it’s something to think about.”

Juyeon studies Hyunjae for a moment, before softening, that small smile coming to his lips. “Hyung,” he says, voice warm and soft. “You’re really something else, aren’t you?”

“W-what do you mean?” Hyunjae asks, and Juyeon takes a step forwards, making Hyunjae step back unconsciously, the omega finding himself sitting lightly on the edge of his desk. The alpha is so damn _close_ , and Hyunjae’s heart is pounding in his chest.

“Ever since I’ve come here, you’ve shown me nothing but love and kindness. Despite being able to take control and abuse this situation, you’ve treated me like a real person. You’ve given me so many opportunities that I would’ve otherwise never gotten. And just when I think I know you, you show me time and time again how there’s more to Lee Hyunjae that I still haven’t fully discovered.” Hyunjae’s heart is pounding, this time from the sweet words leaving the alpha’s mouth. His eyes are wide and he can tell his cheeks are red with the way the alpha smiles at him, leaning in to swipe his finger against Hyunjae’s cheekbone.

“I’m more than okay with seeing a therapist. But only if you also can talk to them about what’s happened to you, as well.”

Hyunjae smiles, looking up at the alpha who’s still standing. “Okay,” he says, quietly, and Juyeon is stepping even closer, to gather Hyunjae into his arms. The omega is relaxing in his safe, strong grip, as he hugs the younger back, eyes fluttering closed. 

“You’ve been with me this entire time, and I want to be there for you too,” Juyeon says softly, and Hyunjae is smiling to himself. “We’ll get through this. Together.” Hyunjae replies as they just savour the moment, the stillness after the chaos of the past week.

For the first time in what seems like forever, Hyunjae feels totally safe, with no thoughts of assassins or shadow people who might be lurking in the corners. He loses himself in the feel of Juyeon, the warmth of his body, the firmness of his chest, the comforting smell of his scent. Everything about the alpha just screams _home_ , and while the thought scared Hyunjae immensely a few months ago, right now the prince can only feel satisfied with the thought.

“You said you had something to tell me as well?” Hyunjae asks, as they pull away from one another. Juyeon blinks at the prince, mouth opening, before closing. Hyunjae smiles at how cute he is, as he gets up to take off his jacket and put it away, glancing over at the alpha who seems to be at a loss for words.

* * *

Juyeon’s heart is thudding in his chest. He didn’t know what to say. Not when Hyunjae, his angelic hyung, the one who he’s loved his entire life, is looking at him with such softness in his eyes, as the omega goes over to sit on their bed, looking at him expectantly, gesturing for Juyeon to speak.

 _‘God. I love this man. He’s everything and anything I could’ve ever wanted,’_

Juyeon thinks back to the times they shared together. To how Hyunjae has never once pushed him, never forced him to do anything he didn’t want to. How the prince did everything to make Juyeon’s new life comfortable for him, doing his best to make the transition smooth when in reality, Juyeon would put up with anything if that meant he could see Hyunjae everyday.

And after that night, the thought of never being able to tell Hyunjae how he feels, to let the omega know how much he _loves_ him, Juyeon knows he has to do it. Even if the omega rejects him, Juyeon has to let him know how he feels.

“I just want you to know…. That I still meant everything I said back then. When we were still children.”

Hyunjae pauses, as he looks up at Juyeon. The alpha is standing at the foot of their bed, and the prince doesn’t know how to react. “Juyeonnie,”

“Let me finish, please. I know that I’m not what you need, and that I’m far from being an adequate mate to someone so perfect such as yourself, but… I’m still yours. Ever since I met you when I was four, until now, I’ve been yours, Hyunjae. And even if you don’t want me as a mate, I’ll continue to be here for you. Because I just want you to be happy,”

At this point, Hyunjae is tearing up. His heart skips a beat at Juyeon’s words, and he throws his pillow as Juyeon, the alpha catching it and looking at him, worried. “Hyung?”

“You idiot!” Hyunjae says, as he walks up to him, hitting his chest with his fist. “How could I not want you? All this time I’ve been trying to hold myself back because I didn’t want to take advantage of you!” Hyunjae says, as he wipes his eyes angrily with his sleeves. “You have no idea how much I just want to melt in your embrace and bury myself in your scent every single moment I’m with you! Juyeon, I-” Hyunjae is cut off by Juyeon’s mouth against his. Unlike all the chaste, gentle kisses they’ve shared, this one is full of passion and love, as Juyeon grasps Hyunjae’s shoulders desperately, tongue exploring his mouth.

Hyunjae feels like he’s melting as Juyeon kisses him like he’ll die without him. His stomach is doing flops and his heart is pounding in his chest so loud, he’s positive Juyeon can hear it.

“Silly omega,” Juyeon says against his lips as he pulls away just enough so he can talk. He presses kisses to Hyunjae’s mouth between words. “I’ve been trying to tell you all this time that I’m in love with you,”

Juyeon is kissing him again, this time, all needy and hungry, as he holds Hyunjae’s waist to his body and pushes forwards, trying to get more and more of Hyunjae, as much as possible. Hyunjae is drowning in his kisses, unable to do anything but kiss the alpha back, as Juyeon picks him up and brings him to the bed, setting him down and hovering a top of him, as he kisses him again and again and again.

“I’ve only dreamed about doing this,” Juyeon murmurs, before he starts pressing kisses to Hyunjae’s neck. The omega cries out, hands coming to hug Juyeon’s body to his own as he presses gentle kiss after gentle kiss along his sensitive neck. The alpha buries his nose in the crook of Hyunjae’s neck, breathing in deeply. God, he loves that scent. It makes him so dizzy with how intoxicating he smells.

Hyunjae feels so loved in the way Juyeon showers his body with kisses. Each touch is like scorching fire, as Juyeon lovingly kisses his way up and down the column of Hyunjae’s neck, before dropping kisses all over his face. Hyunjae is in love with the alpha atop of him. He wants Juyeon to mark him as his, and to be his alpha. He wants him so badly, he wants to be a good omega for his alpha, to make him happy.

“Juyeonnie, please,” Hyunjae cries out, as Juyeon’s hands start to wander, finding their way up and under Hyunjae’s shirt. His hands smooth against his warm skin, before one of Juyeon’s fingers brush against his nipple, pinching the bud ever so lightly, and making Hyunjae moan.

“Is this okay?” Juyeon asks, looking at Hyunjae for confirmation. Hyunjae nods, as he pulls at Juyeon’s shirt. “I want it off,”

And Juyeon obeys, standing up to take off his jacket and shirt, with Hyunjae doing the same, throwing his shirt off to wherever it lands. His eyes land on Juyeon’s toned body, all smooth tanned skin and lean muscle. His pupils dilate at the mere sight alone.

Juyeon doesn’t make Hyunjae wait long before he’s kissing him again. He bites Hyunjae’s plump bottom lip gently, smiling at the way the omega moans at the action, before he starts to press kisses to his body.

And god, does Juyeon feel like he’s in heaven. The omega under him is perfect; everything he imagined and more. Hyunjae’s skin is so smooth and soft, that Juyeon feels that he would be doing him disrespect if he didn’t worship him properly, pressing kisses to every inch of his body. He loves this omega, and wants to show him that he means the world to him.

“So beautiful. So precious. So perfect. My omega,” Juyeon says against his skin, and Hyunjae blushes at the words. Juyeon smiles, as he laces his fingers with Hyunjae’s.

“I never knew on that day I would be finding my soulmate,” Juyeon says, as he presses a kiss to the back of Hyunjae’s hand. “I’m eternally in your gratitude for picking me, your highness,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae laughs, nudging him lightly with his leg. “Oh please. You would’ve done the same,” Hyunjae says, ears red. And Juyeon doesn’t reply because he knows without a doubt, if their roles were switched, he definitely would. 

Ever since they were kids, Juyeon knew that Hyunjae was his omega. And he would never leave his omega behind - he would comb through millions if he had to. Hyunjae has never left his mind ever since they were seperated, and Juyeon knows that he would’ve searched for eons until he had his precious omega back in his arms.

When he gets down to the line of his pants, Juyeon looks up at the older, not wanting to force him into anything he isn’t ready for. But Hyunjae doesn’t waste time kicking off his own pants, shoving them down, and wiggling to get them off of him, underwear in tow, leaving him naked for Juyeon to see. And his mouth dries at the sight before him.

Hyunjae’s body is like most omegas. Small, hairless, and smooth. Yet the sight before him was enough to knock Juyeon off his feet. 

His dick was standing up, proud and tall, dripping precum, and begging to be touched. But with the two long smooth legs on either side of Juyeon’s body which he wishes to explore as well, he had no idea where to start. But then his eyes focus in on the spot between his cheeks, barely visible from the position Hyunjae was in.

Even before his pants came off, Juyeon could smell the slick oozing out of his hole, and he knows if he looks down at Hyunjae’s pants, his underwear would be wet with it. But his eyes are zeroing in on the glistening skin barely visible between his thighs.

Juyeon starts by smoothing his hands over Hyunjae’s long legs. The supple skin of his thighs is comparably smoother than the rest of his legs, the inner part even more so, and he doesn’t hesitate to kiss the sensitive inner parts of Hyunjae’s thighs, nipping them gently and eliciting whimpers and mewls from the omega. The sounds only spur Juyeon on even more, especially as his breathing becomes ragged with every inch he gets closer to his cock.

“Please, Juyeonnie, please,” Hyunjae begs, and the alpha shushes him. “Calm down sweetheart, I’m here, I’ve got you, I’m not going anywhere,” he says, rubbing the skin of his thighs assuredly. Hyunjae whimpered once more, as Juyeon continues to kiss every inch of his inner thighs, but avoids his dick, as he takes his time to lather his skin in praise.

He will not rush his first time with his omega. He’s going to savour each and every little detail, commit every piece of information to memory, as he explores the omega’s body.

Juyeon is starting to draw closer and closer to his dick, but he’s once again distracted by the glistening wet skin behind his testicles. Which is why Hyunjae lets out a frustrated moan when Juyeon ignores his hard dick, and crouches down to explore the area below.

That frustrated moan turns into a pleasant yelp as Hyunjae feels Juyeon’s fingers rubbing against the crack of his ass. This little interaction has Hyunjae immediately moving to lift his lower body slightly, allowing the alpha access to his hole. And Juyeon moans at the sight.

Hyunjae’s hole is pink and untouched, tight, and wet without anything even in it. He’s pushing aside the skin of Hyunjae’s cheeks, just enough to view the little divot, before he taps the tight ring of muscle once, making the omega let out a surprised moan.

“I’ll come back to this later. Don’t worry baby, I’ll make sure you’re nice and loose before I breed you,” he promises, going up to look at his prince’s face. He sweeps the hair out of the omega’s eyes, as he kisses him, letting the older melt into the kiss, only to tense up once more when Juyeon’s hand snakes between them and wraps around Hyunjae’s cock, thumb rubbing against the tip.

Hyunjae moans, breaking the kiss, squirming as he lets out a breathy “ah,” hands fumbling in the blankets. Juyeon watches carefully as he slowly begins to rub him, making sure to pay attention to the tip with each movement. The omega is leaking so much pre-cum that Juyeon feels as if the need for lube is nonexistent, as he slowly brings his hand down to stroke the organ.

And the omega is letting out the prettiest noise the alpha has ever heard, a delicate sound of a mewl mixed with an airy cry of pleasure, as his fingers curl in the sheets under him. Juyeon’s alpha is pleased that his omega is making such pretty noises, even more so that he’s the cause of it, and that they’re for his hearing pleasure only.

Juyeon really wants to taste the omega, eyes raking over his cock as he strokes him, and the action doesn’t go unnoticed, as Hyunjae moans once more, before saying “alpha, please, I want to taste you,”

The words have him stopping his movements, as he looks up at Hyunjae, but the omega is already getting up to undo Juyeon’s pants, hands scrabbling with his belt as he opens up his buttons, enough for him to move forwards and mouth at the prominent bulge inside his underwear.

“F-fuck, baby, wait a moment,” Juyeon let’s out, voice strained as Hyunjae desperately moans against his clothed cock, rubbing his face against the alpha’s dick.

Juyeon kicks off his own pants, leaving his underwear on the ground as he climbs onto the bed, letting the omega settle on top of him. He watches as Hyunjae doesn’t waste any time, before taking him into his mouth, moaning as soon as his tongue hits the tip of his cock.

The alpha let out a loud moan, eyes flashing a dangerous red colour as Hyunjae began to suck him off, hands coming to grab the length of his cock he couldn’t reach, and tongue swirling along the length. Juyeon almost loses himself in the pleasure, if it wasn’t for Hyunjae’s delicious ass right in front of him, his cock hanging free.

Juyeon hesitated for a moment, not sure which one he wanted to try first, but decided on eating out his ass this time. The glistening hole that’s constantly leaking slick was calling his name, and he wasted no time in grabbing the omega’s hips, the mere touch making the omega moan along Juyeon’s length, as he pulls him back enough for Juyeon’s tongue to hit his warm skin.

And the beautiful moans Hyunjae immediately lets out is music to Juyeon’s ears.

He pulls the warm flesh of Hyunjae’s ass apart so he could have easier access to his beautiful hole, drinking up the delicious fluid leaking from him, getting drunk on the taste of his omega. Hyunjae was so sweet, from his slick to his skin, and Juyeon finds himself getting lost in slurping up all his slick, tongue smoothing over the crevice of his ass. But he soon finds himself digging his tongue into the small, untouched hole, sucking on the small ring of muscle, as he thoroughly eats him out.

The omega tastes sweeter than anything Juyeon had tasted and his insides were hot and tight, the small divot obviously having never taken anything inside of it before. The thought excited Juyeon immensely. He would be the first one to be inside his omega, and would also be the last. His omega was beautiful and only his to taste, only his to touch, only his to view. 

The alpha pulls away, but continues to lick around the rim, letting one of his fingers slip inside of the omega. The action has Hyunjae letting go of Juyeon’s cock as he practically preens, ass perking up as he pushes back into the touch.

“God, alpha, please, please I need more of you inside me, please, fill me up, use me as your cum dump, knot me, breed me, mark me, make me yours, please alpha,” Hyunjae is blabbering as he pushes back against Juyeon’s single finger, his walls clinging to the single digit.

“Shh, it’s okay baby, I will, I will, don’t worry, I got you baby, I’ll knot you good,” he promises, and Hyunjae whines when the alpha pulls his finger out.

“Lie down for me baby,” Juyeon instructs, and Hyunjae immediately complies, laying on the bed facing the alpha. Juyeon’s eyes are soft on the older as he leans in to press his lips to the omega’s loving his kisses. God, he could drown in the intoxicating kisses of the prince under him. Hyunjae’s arms go up to circle around the alpha and they spend some time just kissing each other. Juyeon wonders for a moment if he should just spend the next hour making out with the omega, but Hyunjae becomes impatient as he starts to move his hips upwards, reminding Juyeon of the task at hand.

He breaks the kiss, but sucks another mark onto his skin, biting at the thin skin of the omega’s neck playfully, right over the place where the mating mark would be. Juyeon wants nothing more than to mark him, but instead moves down. Hyunjae automatically spreads his legs, bending them so that Juyeon can have access to his hole, and the alpha drinks in the sight greedily. His omega is gorgeous and so _perfect_. Juyeon wonders what he’s done to deserve this.

But he quickly begins to move. He has a needy omega to pleasure, and he’s pushing his finger back into Hyunjae’s hole, the omega gasping at the touch. Juyeon watches, eyes half lidded and dark as the omega writhes in pleasure from the one finger alone. Juyeon can feel his hot, wet walls pulsating around him, as he pumps it in and out of him, testing the waters. God, the omega is tight, but Juyeon knows that he’ll be able to take him. Eventually.

He presses another finger against the rim, seeing if his hole is able to take another. To his surprise, Hyunjae’s rim sucks him in, and the omega cries out in pleasure, as he bucks his hips upwards. “A-angh alpha! Your fingers, fuck, oh my god, your fingers are so b-big inside of me!” Hyunjae cries out, fingers twisted in the sheets. Juyeon can feel himself growing harder as he begins to scissor the omega open, the excessive amount of slick leaking out of his hole making the slide so much easier.

Juyeon is pushing his fingers deep, trying to stretch Hyunjae to the best of his ability. The omega squirms, pleasure coursing through him at being touched in such an intimate place for the first time, every push and prod of Juyeon’s big fingers inside of his hole making him gasp, fingers curling into the blanket as he arches his back prettily.

The alpha growls lowly at the sight, licking his lips. He really just wants to push himself into the omega, taking him thoroughly, but knows he would rather die than hurt his precious Hyunjae. Which is why even with the omega begging for Juyeon to put his cock inside of him now, he hushes the older, and instead adds a third finger, stretching the omega’s hole.

Juyeon’s fingers are big and long, and each movement has Hyunjae’s hole clenching along the younger’s digits. They reach such deep places inside of him, but the omega wants him deeper, filling him up and knotting him. His hole leaks even more slick, the copious amounts flowing out of his almost ridiculous. Juyeon is pressing kisses to his inner thighs and around his hole as he fingers him, sucking marks onto the pale skin and licking up some of the slick coming out of the omega. Every inch of skin on the older deserves to be praised in Juyeon’s eyes, which is why he takes his time tasting him, feeling him.

“Juyeonnie, alpha, please fill me up,” Hyunjae whines out, hips jerking upwards into the air. The omega’s cock is rock hard, standing at attention, and Juyeon wants to take the organ into his mouth. But with the needy way Hyunjae is holding himself open for the alpha, practically begging him to put his cock inside of him, Juyeon decides against it. He’ll suck him off another time - right now, his angel’s needs have to be met.

He pulls his fingers out of the older, eliciting a panicked whine from him, and Juyeon immediately smoothes his other hand over him, patting his flank and smoothing over the inside of his thighs. “Shhh, calm down baby, I have you, I’ll give you what you want,” he says, before sucking off the slick of the omega on his other fingers. The taste is still exquisite, and the alpha hums happily. 

He finally takes his position on the bed, hooking the omega’s legs over his shoulders. The action brings him closer to the omega’s rosy hole, and he takes his dick in hand and taps it over the prince’s entrance, making both of them moan loudly.

“Please, alpha, please I want it so badly, please put it inside of me,” Hyunjae begs, and Juyeon looks up at the older. He’s a wreck, chest heaving and covered in sweat, eyes glassy and lips swollen from how much time they’ve spent kissing. Juyeon can’t help it, he leans in to steal another kiss, effectively bending the omega in half.

“I’m going to give it to you now, okay baby?” He says, and Hyunjae nods aggressively. “Yes, please, I want it,” he says, and Juyeon gets another confirming look from the omega, before he lines up his cock and slowly starts to sink in.

And god, Hyunjae is still tight as fuck, hole clenching and tight around his girth. He barely manages to get an inch in, before he stops, the omega’s eyes wide and mouth open in a silent scream.

Juyeon takes the older’s hand into his own, the alpha squeezing it reassuringly. “Tell me when you think you can take more,” he says, voice strained. The omega is so tight and wet around just the tip, and it’s taking every bit of Juyeon’s self control not to just force himself into the omega.

After a few moments, Hyunjae nods once more, a signal for the alpha to move, and Juyeon obeys, sinking in another inch. It goes by like this - it seems like forever for Juyeon to finally bottom out inside of the omega, large length taking up what feels like every single space inside of Hyunjae, that he the prince feels like he can’t even breath. Juyeon’s cock is long and thick, and it feels like he can feel it at the back of his throat - there is definitely not any space inside of him for anything else.

And the alpha is swearing as he gazes down at the sight of his omega speared open on his cock. Because of how big he is, and how small his omega is, he can see the outline of his girth inside of Hyunjae, the bump on his stomach showcasing where Juyeon’s cock is. He groans at the sight as he shifts his hips, forcing himself slightly deeper and earning a hiccup-moan from the omega. The image of the omega literally bulging on his cock will be one that Juyeon would never forget - he finds it so fucking hot.

Hyunjae is sobbing quietly at the pleasurable feeling of being filled up with his alpha. Juyeon stays still, buried deep within his heat as his hand smooths over his legs, trying to get the omega to relax enough for him to move. He doesn’t dare until the omega tells him it’s okay, and instead presses kisses to his legs, hand still entwined with Hyunjae’s and other hand coming to rest on the omega’s hip, thumb rubbing soothingly over his sharp hip bone.

They stay like that for a bit, Hyunjae breathing heavily and Juyeon just waiting for the green light as the omega adjusts to him. He can feel the prince’s walls fluttering around his length, trying to get used to the feeling of having something so big intruding, and the alpha _knows_ his eyes are shining that golden colour. The smell of Hyunjae’s slick and arousal has his nostrils flaring and his instincts telling him to bite, to _claim_ , but he doesn’t dare. Not without Hyunjae being completely sure about it.

“Alpha,” the prince whispers, shifting his hips slightly. The action has the omega’s breathing hitch every so slightly, the noise so subtle yet one that Juyeon finds so beautiful. “C-can you move?”

He leans in towards Hyunjae, folding him in half as he kisses the prince deeply. Hyunjae is moaning into the kiss, eyes falling closed, as Juyeon begins to roll his hips, careful not to be too rough with his omega. The action has the prince moaning loudly, breaking the kiss as his back arches involuntarily when Juyeon begins to give shallow thrusts.

Juyeon’s alpha is going crazy. He’s dropping down to Hyunjae’s neck, pressing kisses to the omega’s beautiful skin, when he comes across the spot on the omega’s neck that begs to be marked. He growls lowly as he presses his lips to the spot, sucking on the skin and leaving a hickey, before kissing it again and again and again. God, does he want to leave his mark permanently on the omega’s beautiful skin.

“J-Juyeon!” Hyunjae cries out, as Juyeon’s cock brushes up against his prostate. The omega’s eyes are watery from the pure pleasure he’s feeling, and the alpha presses gentle kisses to his cheeks. “You’re doing so well, baby, you’re so good to me,” he says, voice a soft whisper. He continues to thrust his hips, holding the omega open with gentle but firm hands. Juyeon lets one of his hands go to the omega’s small waist, the other toying with his nipple.

And the action has Hyunjae twisting on the sheets as he cries out again, heavy moans filling the air between them. Juyeon is busy sucking marks across Hyunjae’s collarbones, busy marking him up as he continues to pump himself in and out of the prince, his slow pace speeding up just slightly.

Hyunjae’s cock moves uselessly in the air between them, a small puddle of precum dotting the omega’s tummy, the liquid being disturbed by the way Juyeon’s cock stretches his stomach. The alpha eyes the sight with lust in his eyes, as he lets his hand smooth down Hyunjae’s body, going to touch the bump.

“God, that’s so hot hyung,” Juyeon groans out, big hand covering almost his entire stomach. Hyunjae moans at the sight of the alpha pressing his hand against the bump, fascinated by the way Hyunjae’s skin stretches to accommodate the intrusion.

“Alpha, please, I want more,” he begs, shifting his hips to the best of his ability. Despite his lower back straining, Hyunjae wants Juyeon to continue to use his body, to pound into him harder and faster. And the alpha seems to understand, as he leans in once more to kiss the omega, before he starts to move his hips faster.

And Hyunjae is crying out into the kiss, Juyeon taking advantage of the action by sucking on the older’s bottom lip as Hyunjae feels the tip of Juyeon’s cock hitting his prostate. His hands are twisted into the sheets and Hyunjae feels pleasure course through him with every thrust, insides tightening up from the feeling of pure ecstasy.

Juyeon is letting his alpha take over, hips snapping forwards to meet the plushness of Hyunjae’s ass. He’s grabbing the flesh on his round butt as he continues to move, before he’s pressing his lips against the claiming gland on his omega’s neck. He presses a kiss to the skin, before just smoothing over it with his mouth, again and again and again.

And then Hyunjae feels it. The knob of flesh growing at the base of the alpha’s cock, the already thick and long girth growing. He feels both excited and terrified - Juyeon’s already massive, his knot will definitely tear Hyunjae apart.

“Juyeonnie,” Hyunjae manages to breathe out. “Put it all inside of me,” he asks, making eye contact with the alpha, eyes glassy and voice hoarse. Juyeon nods, as he presses a quick kiss to his lips. “You’re doing so good hyung, you’re so perfect,” he says as he snaps his hips forwards.

And Hyunjae is letting out systematic little “ah”s with each thrust into his ass, his hole leaking more and more slick to try and assist the growing knot into his body. He’s never had an alpha’s cock inside of him before, and the thought of Juyeon knotting him excites him immensely. 

Hyunjae is moaning as he feels the knot tug at his rim. He already feels stretched, but his body allows the knot in, and Hyunjae is crying out at the feeling. Juyeon is busy pressing kisses to his face and neck, showering him and praises, as his hips slow slightly to try and aid the process.

The prince is whimpering as Juyeon’s cock begins to grow even more inside of him, knot expanding now that it’s snugly nestled within his body. Hyunjae moans obscenely as he feels his rim being stretched to the limit. Each centimetre makes him feel as if he’ll break, but the burn combines with the pleasure of Juyeon lavishing his chest with kisses and how badly he wants the alpha to breed him full of his pups, that he only gets harder from the stretch.

By now, Juyeon is unable to pull out of the omega completely, and has taken to grinding inside of him, hips moving to bring both of them to their climax. Hyunjae is crying out as the alpha grabs his hips and moves him closer if possible, grinding down inside of his body. His cock is pressing against his prostate, and Hyunjae feels like he’ll burst at any given moment.

“A-alpha please, I’m so close,” Hyunjae cries out and Juyeon groans, pinching his nipple. “You’ve been such a good omega for me, taking my knot so well, being such a good boy,” he says, voice strained. Hyunjae nods quickly, walls fluttering around Juyeon’s length. “Yes, I’m a good omega for you, my hole was made to take your cock, please, let me come,” he rambles, and Juyeon lets out a dark laugh.

“Then come for me,” he says, before bucking his hips forwards, faster. Hyunjae is crying out in pure unadulterated pleasure at this point, heels digging into the bed and back arching as Juyeon’s knot continues to stretch him, and his cock manages to continuously abuse his prostate.

The omega is crying out mere moments later, as his orgasm crashes over him like a tidal wave, only fuelled on by the way Juyeon is nipping at the thin skin on his neck and how he grinds his hips into Hyunjae’s hole. “A-alpha!” Hyunjae is crying out as his hands scramble to grab Juyeon’s shoulders, nails piercing his warm skin. Juyeon whispers words of praise as Hyunjae comes down from his high, hips rutting forwards every now and then, gentler now that the prince has finished.

“You did so well, my precious angel, so good to me,” Juyeon mumbles against Hyunjae’s mouth as he kisses him again. Hyunjae’s chest is heaving and he’s gone lax in Juyeon’s grip. The alpha continues to praise him, hands going to smooth over his skin and tenderly caressing his cheek.

“Juyeon,” Hyunjae mumbles out, and Juyeon hums in response. “Yes my angel?”

“Please...I want you to finish in me,” Hyunjae says, wiggling his hips. And being so wrapped up with ensuring his omega was okay, Juyeon had completely forgotten about the way his length was still buried deep within the omega’s body, knot wide and stretching him out.

“Are you sure?” Juyeon asks and Hyunjae gives him a small tired smile. “It’s not like you can go anywhere with your knot this big,” Hyunjae says and the alpha gives his own embarrassed smile at his overlook. 

“I’ll be gentle,” he promises, hands smoothing over the omega’s legs before he kisses him one last time. Hyunjae nods, and he reaches down to entwine his fingers with Juyeon’s and the alpha presses kisses to the delicate knuckles of his omega’s beautiful hands.

“Come on, fill me up alpha,” Hyunjae urges, and Juyeon’s spurred in by the command. Which is why he begins to rut down into the omega’s hole once more, Hyunjae letting out delicious moans as Juyeon begins to use him. The omega’s legs shake due to how sensitive he is from his orgasm, and Juyeon is pressing gentle kisses to the omega’s cheeks, saying “just hold on a little longer,” as he bucks his hips forwards, grinding himself deep into the older’s hole.

And Hyunjae is trying not to writhe from the immense feeling of pleasure that borders on pain from how Juyeon’s large cock continues to rub against his prostate, as he struggles to reach his climax. The omega shivers at the thought of the alpha breeding him, filling him up with nothing but his cum and his knot, and is crying out when Juyeon bites down on his collarbone, mere inches away from the spot on his neck where he longs to be marked.

“Fuck, you’re such a good omega for me,” Juyeon hisses, as he screws into Hyunjae’s hole over and over again, thrusts hard, before he finally hits the peak. And Hyunjae is moaning just as loudly as Juyeon when he feels the warmth of the alpha’s cum begin to fill him up, none of it spilling out due to the size of his knot.

There’s just so much, and Hyunjae’s mouth is open in a silent scream from the way that Juyeon’s cock continues to spill into him, seemingly an endless stream of cum filling him up to the point his stomach begins to bloat from the sheer volume of cum.

“God, alpha, there’s so much, oh my god,” Hyunjae breathes out, hand touching his own stomach that’s stretching, the usually flat surface now housing a small bump. Juyeon moans at the sight as he leans forwards to kiss the prince passionately, cock still spilling out spurts of cum into him intermittently. They’ll be locked together for the better half of the next hour, and Hyunjae is feeling so content with the way Juyeon lies down on top of him, careful not to squish him, but enough to tell the world that this omega is his.

“That was amazing,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae laughs as he nods in agreement. “You’re just so damn big,” Hyunjae admits the laugh dissolving into a moan when Juyeon’s cock spurts out another jet of cum.

“Angel, you can’t say things like that if you want my knot to come down any time soon,” Juyeon moans, and Hyunjae is giggling slightly.

Once Juyeon’s knot has gone down a bit to the point they can maneuver with more ease without the fear of ripping Hyunjae, Juyeon settles them on their sides, facing each other on the bed.

“I love you, hyung,” the alpha whispers out into the stillness. His big hand is caressing the bloated stomach of the omega, the faint outline of his cock still visible.

“I love you too,” Hyunjae says back, and Juyeon smiles so brightly that Hyunjae feels his heart jump into his mouth.

That night, they fall asleep in each other’s arms under the covers; legs tangled and fingers entwined; no longer afraid to be pressed up as close to each other as possible, bare skin on bare skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand that's it for the first arc! So sadly, this means no update next week (truthfully, I'm not entirely sure when I'll start updating again as classes start in September for me and I'll be taking a full course load - so we'll see what happens. I'll definitely be giving regular updates on Twitter in the meantime!) however, I have been working on some other...stuff. We'll see what happens hehe
> 
> I hope this long ass chapter didn't put you all to sleep (because to be honest I feel asleep while editing this chapter like 3 times so like I'm not sure if it's boring or because I'm just always sleep deprived lol) so if you're reading this... congrats! You made it to the end without dying halfway through!
> 
> Wednesdays will no longer be update day (sad) but I've decided maybe I'll start engaging in WIP Wednesday on Twitter since I feel guilty for not feeding the masses haha SO STAY TUNED!!!
> 
> Anyways, I love you all, thank SO MUCH for reading up until this point, and I'll be back! I hope you enjoyed the final reveal (oh?) of the cloaked figure and also the long admitted confession + smut hehe
> 
> \- Eunhae xx  
> (P.S. to address some topics in this chapter that I think are important - though it's not explicitly stated, I do think it's only fair for me to confirm that _yes_ Hyunjae does have some anxiety (which is clearly shown through the small panic attack he has in this chapter after the sentencing) as well as it's obvious that Juyeon had gone through an abusive past. I'm not an expert in either of these fields, and I'm not trying to romanticize either of these issues in anyway. If there is a problem, please let me know where and how I might be able to fix it ^^ Also, short PSA: Seeing a therapist does not make you crazy - I feel like everyone should be going to see a therapist regularly because just being able to talk about what you feel without being judged and being helped with those not so nice thoughts inside your head can really make a change for the better in your own life.)


	5. In this suffocating darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAND WE'RE BACK!
> 
> I'm so sorry this has been such a long time coming, but here we are! A fair warning - this arc is going to be shorter than the last (probably) so I'm hoping that the chapters won't be as monstrous (fingers crossed!)
> 
> ANYWAYS WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET US BEGIN! 
> 
> (Quick side note: This chapter picks up right after the events of the past chapter so uh, long story short, Juyeon confessed, Hyunjae is in love, sexy time happened, and they fell asleep curled up together)

When Juyeon opens his eyes, he lets out a pleased hum at the sight and feelings that come rushing back to him.

 _‘It wasn’t a dream,’_ he thinks to himself, as he takes in the sight of Hyunjae, his precious omega sleeping soundly beside him. His neck is marked up with hickeys, and their clothes are who knows where. But the sight of Hyunjae asleep, vulnerable and peaceful as he faces him, curled towards his body is something Juyeon loves.

He stays like that for a bit, just staring at the omega’s features. Everything about him is so beautiful, so perfect, that he can’t help but be in awe. From his beautifully shaped nose to the plush fan of eyelashes that seemed to touch his cheeks, Juyeon let out a deep sigh of pure love at the sight of his omega.

 _‘Such a gorgeous angel,’_ he thinks to himself, as he moves closer to him, wanting to take in a deep breath of his scent. And god, if the undertone of Juyeon’s scent mixed with Hyunjae’s doesn’t make the alpha’s heart swell with pride. Hyunjae smells like his, like they were actual mates, and Juyeon loves it.

Loves that he can pretend they were actual mates, and that Juyeon had every right to touch Hyunjae whenever he wanted to, wherever he wanted to.

He tightens his grip around the older, knowing once the day started he would have to let go of him. He hated the fact that Hyunjae had so many prince duties to attend to, and hated the fact he couldn’t be in contact with him the entire day. If he could, he would follow him around, just to hold his hand and give him kisses every now and then, letting him know how much he loves him.

Because Juyeon really doesn’t think there’s a word that could properly encompass his feelings for the omega.

Which is why he showers Hyunjae in love every moment he gets, wanting nothing more than to tell him he would do anything for him. That he was head over heels gone for the omega, wanting nothing more than to stay by his side and see his gorgeous smile and hear his adorable laugh. That is all he wanted, though he would like to at least hear Hyunjae call his name in that loving way he did.

The sound of “Juyeonnie” coming from Hyunjae’s lips is something the alpha loved. It reminded him of when they were little, when he would hold Hyunjae’s hand all the time and go around proclaiming he would marry Hyunjae when they grew up, and that he would always protect him. And Hyunjae would giggle that adorable little laugh of his and say that he would like that. 

Juyeon wondered when it got so hard for him to say words like that.

He focuses on the feel of Hyunjae’s smooth, bare skin against his. The steady beating of his heart, and the rise and fall of his chest. He closes his eyes and takes in the feeling of warmth that surrounds him. The sun shining down on them, the feeling of the blanket cocooning them, the warmth generated from their bodies. He loves it.

He doesn’t know how long he spends just gazing down at his omega sleep. Juyeon knows it sounds a bit creepy, but he can’t help the soft look in his eyes as he takes in the gorgeous image his prince makes. He watches as Hyunjae shifts in his arms, moving onto his side, and Juyeon is staring at the beautiful sight of Hyunjae’s bare back, flawless, smooth skin on display.

He can’t help himself. His omega is so, so gorgeous - which is why Juyeon leans in, and takes the time to press soft, loving kisses to the skin of his back - starting from the nape of neck, and works his way down. Each kiss is long and drawn out, with the alpha rubbing the prince’s skin gently. He slips his hand into the older’s encasing his delicate fingers with his own huge ones.

And so when a moment later Hyunjae’s fingers move, impulsively squeezing Juyeon’s as he stirs, the alpha looks up to see Hyunjae twisting his head to look at him, eyebrows furrowed and lashes moving groggily. The sight is all too cute, and oh-so-domestic that it makes Juyeon’s stomach flip.

“Good morning,” Juyeon says, voice husky from unuse, yet soft in the stillness of the morning. He’s not sure what time it is, but it doesn’t matter as he watches the omega yawn cutely, and rub his eyes as he stares up at Juyeon. 

“Morning,” the omega replies, as he pushes himself up slightly. The action causes the sheets to fall down, exposing the omega’s bare chest and the multiple marks Juyeon left on him. The sight has Juyeon’s alpha preening in delight, and he can’t help but smile at the sight. Hyunjae looks down at himself, before glancing over at the alpha. “You really did a number to me last night,” he says, voice joking.

Juyeon sits up to hug the omega, hooking his chin over his shoulder. “I hope I wasn’t too rough on you,” he says, and Hyunjae shakes his head. “No...it was perfect,” he says, smiling gently. God, does Juyeon wish he could take the omega again at this moment - he looks so ethereal, despite just waking up, and the sound of his omega telling him that Juyeon was able to make him feel so good has pride coursing through his veins.

 _‘Yes. I can be the best mate for you. I can make you happy. I can protect you. I can be yours, so please accept me,’_ Juyeon’s alpha is practically begging, but the man holds his tongue and restrains himself. Now isn’t the time for that - there will be another chance, and he’ll wait for the right moment. 

He knows the stereotype is that alphas take what they want when they want - but he can’t ever think of taking something so precious from the omega without his consent - which is why he didn’t mark him last night either. He wants his relationship with Hyunjae to be something beautiful and pure, much like the prince himself. He knows he doesn’t have a great track record, but he will fix it to the best of his ability. For his precious omega.

Hyunjae’s hair is disheveled and messy but Juyeon only looks at him with hearts in his eyes. He looks so damn adorable - the way the prince yawns before rubbing his eyes and blankly looking to the side, letting Juyeon admire his gorgeous side profile, leaving the alpha speechless. He must’ve saved a country in his past life to have gotten so lucky in finding the perfect omega and having him as his own, hasn’t he?

“What time is it?” the prince asks, yawning, and Juyeon shrugs. “Don’t know. Don’t really care.” the alpha replies, taking one of Hyunjae’s hands in his own to play with his fingers. Hyunjae is blindly looking out the window, not really seeing, as the two of them linger in bed just a little bit longer. Juyeon knows they both have things to do, but in the warm sunlight of the morning and after what conspired last night, the alpha wants to hold onto this moment for a little while longer.

“Come on, Juyeonnie. We should at least shower,” the omega is saying, getting the alpha’s attention. Juyeon is looking up at the prince, who looks like an absolute _angel_ , with the way he’s got his back to the window, the sun creating a halo around his golden locks. Juyeon gives Hyunjae a tender smile (if Younghoon was here, the older beta would definitely tell him he looks whipped) before agreeing, letting the prince lead the way to the bathroom.

“Are you okay to do things today? You’re not too sore?” Juyeon asks, worried about the older. Hyunjae laughs, as he turns on the water, looking back at the alpha. “Yes, I’m not going to be _bedridden_ after taking your cock up my ass,” Hyunjae says back, his tone of voice and matter-of-fact way of speaking making the alpha laugh. “God, I love you,” the alpha says, bringing the omega close to himself, and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. The alpha doesn’t realize he’s never said those three words out loud, because as he’s pulling away, he sees the look of shock and how red Hyunjae’s face is.

“O-oh, uh, sorry, I just, it just slipped out,” Juyeon says, quickly feeling somewhat worried he made the prince uncomfortable. He would hate to make Hyunjae feel forced to say it back, especially since the ‘L word’ was not something to be thrown around carelessly.

Hyunjae is smiling, though, as he takes Juyeon’s hand in his, and steps into the shower, bringing the alpha with him. “I don’t mind. I was just a bit shocked, that’s all,” the omega says, crowding the younger back into the spray of the warm water. Juyeon is looking at the prince, who’s pushing him against the wall of the shower stall, as he says “I love you too, my Juyeonnie,” before pressing their lips together.

And Juyeon eagerly reciprocates, loving how their lips seem to mould together perfectly. Hyunjae is always so needy, and Juyeon so eager to give. Which is exactly what he does, giving Hyunjae all the love and affection he’s looking for, hands going to circle his waist and the omega’s own hands bracing on Juyeon’s shoulders.

“I love you. I love you. I love you.” Juyeon gets out between kisses, and the prince is smiling into the kiss, as Juyeon just showers him in love. He’s waited so long for this moment, to be able to so freely tell Hyunjae how much he means to him. Which is why he doesn’t want to waste the moments they have together.

They continue to make out under the warm spray of water, until Hyunjae finally breaks the kiss, chest heaving as he sucks in air greedily, but Juyeon isn’t quite happy, as he instead goes to trail kisses down the omega’s neck, trailing kisses along his jawline, to the line of his neck, his mouth hesitating over that spot on Hyunjae’s neck, before he’s planting a kiss there, again and again and again. 

The prince is letting out a soft moan as Juyeon lavishes his neck in attention, especially the spot on his neck. And Juyeon forces himself to stop, to hold back, because he knows if he doesn’t he might end up doing something they both don’t want to happen.

Hyunjae is leaning forwards to rest his forehead against Juyeon’s and the alpha just looks at the pretty prince, breathing heavily under the water.

“We should get clean,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon nods. “Uh-huh.”

They continue to stare at each other, Juyeon’s cheeky grin mirroring the prince’s. “We really should shower,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon nods once more. “Yeah, we should,”

A kiss is placed on the prince’s forehead, and Hyunjae is smiling. “I have a meeting to get to,”

“And I have lessons to go to,”

The two giggle together, both of their hearts feeling warm by the sight of each other’s smiles. And if they spend an extra twenty minutes in the shower than they usually do, who’s to judge?

* * *

Despite the fact they had come to the agreement that Juyeon would be allowed to train with the guard, however Hyunjae made it clear it wasn’t because he needed protecting. The omega insisted that he was just allowing Juyeon to take up a hobby that he wanted to practice, and the alpha just went along with it. They both knew that Juyeon was just doing this to get Hyunjae’s father off their backs.

Which is why Juyeon spends most of the day outside, sweaty and working hard alongside multiple other men. He doesn’t try to make friends, used to being the lone wolf type of guy, but this one alpha did try to talk to him. He learned that his name was Sunwoo, and that he was Hyunjae’s cousin’s mate. Juyeon didn’t particularly encourage the conversation, but he didn’t shut it down either.

Either way, Sunwoo seemed content to talk to Juyeon about his experiences, saying stuff how he felt “connected” to Juyeon because they were both there under “similar circumstances”

“Chanhee wanted me to be trained to use a sword properly,” Sunwoo says, and Juyeon doesn’t reply. They’re taking a break at the side of the sparring fields, and Sunwoo lets out a breath as he ruffles his own hair.

“Did the crown prince put you here for the same reason?” Sunwoo finally asks, and Juyeon hesitates, before shaking his head. No need to let others know of the deal he struck with the king. “I wanted to be here. For...reasons,” Juyeon says, and Sunwoo doesn’t pry. Instead he pouts and whines about how he wishes he didn’t have to spend hours daily doing this, because it hurts his arms, and blah blah blah. Juyeon tunes the younger alpha out as he scans the field, when his heart immediately starts pumping faster and he _feels_ it.

It’s only moments later that his eyes lock on Hyunjae’s form, the prince smiling that polite smile as he nodded and bowed at another official, the man walking away. The omega kept that smile on his features until the man was out of sight, before visibly drooping down, Haknyeon talking to him about something. Juyeon didn’t care about listening in on the conversation, rather he kept his eyes trained on his omega. His lovely, hardworking mate.

He wishes he could run over to him and sweep him up into a hug, but even if he could, he’s sweaty and gross, and he knows that Hyunjae would scold him for doing so. So instead he watches from afar, like a puppy, hoping that Hyunjae would notice him.

And perhaps it’s some kind of bond that formed between them, because Hyunjae, after a moment, does perk up, eyes scanning the view in front of him, before locking eyes with Juyeon from across the field on the balcony of the palace. Juyeon instantly smiles, and waves at the omega, and Hyunjae smiles back, that soft, loving smile he always does.

Juyeon doesn’t notice the way Sunwoo is looking at him like he grew two extra heads, the younger alpha thinking to himself _‘So he does smile,’_

He’s too busy trying to tell his mate he loves him from afar, that he doesn’t even notice the head of the guard calling him to the sparring circle.

* * *

Hyunjae watches as the alpha goofily makes a big heart with his arms, before pointing at him. The omega smiles at his cute attempts at conveying his love, and he can’t help but coo adoringly, as Haknyeon lets out a scoff.

“You two are insufferable. I can’t believe he hasn’t marked you already,” his advisor states. Hyunjae looks down at the papers in front of him, fiddling with them slightly as he says “we’re just taking it slow,”

“I’m surprised that he’s okay with that. Most alpha want to claim what’s theirs as soon as possible, no? Isn’t that why they’re all locked up?” Haknyeon says aloud, and Hyunjae doesn’t have a response. He doesn’t really know why Juyeon hasn’t claimed him yet either. Of course, Hyunjae never really gave him verbal consent, but at the same time, he thought it was obvious enough for both of them that he was interested in pursuing a relationship with the alpha.

He’s becoming insecure all of a sudden, thinking that maybe, Juyeon wasn’t as committed to this as he said. Hyunjae immediately pushes the thought away, as he remembers all of what the alpha said the night before. He wouldn’t lie about that, and he felt the genuine love that Juyeon held inside of him as he lovingly worshipped Hyunjae’s body the night before.

But then what was the hold up? _‘Maybe I’ll let him know tonight that I’m okay with him marking me,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. He looks up again to see the alpha sparring with some other guard, his eyes having that sharp look in them once more. Even though he wasn’t used to using a sword, he still looked so gracefully and powerful with each move, something that must be a natural talent. Hyunjae envies the alpha as he watches the match.

He couldn’t believe that someone like Juyeon existed. And even more, that someone like Juyeon wanted Hyunjae so badly. 

The omega thinks back to everything Juyeon said and/or did to show his love to him, and he feels stupid for even doubting him for a second. Juyeon saw Hyunjae as the moon, with him like a wolf. It just served to make the omega feel like he had to live up to that standard, though Haknyeon insisted that Juyeon would still look at him with stars in his eyes even if he had accidentally set the entire palace on fire.

His spine still tingles from earlier that morning, when he woke up to Juyeon pressing gentle kisses along his bare back. It was such a soft, intimate gesture, that Hyunjae immediately had butterflies in his stomach as the alpha treated him like some sort of delicate piece of china. Each touch to his skin was gentle, with warm, kind hands smoothing over his body lovingly, as he savoured every touch. Juyeon made Hyunjae feel precious. Feel praised. Feel loved.

Even when they were fucking, Juyeon was gentle and loving. Never once did Hyunjae feel unsure during that night together, rather, he felt like he had found his home. 

He knew now. Juyeon would be his mate - Hyunjae didn’t want any other alpha. He just wanted Juyeon, his Juyeonnie. The violent alpha no one else wanted, yet only shows pure adoration and love to Hyunjae, always being so kind, and loving, and gentle with him, never forcing him to do anything he doesn’t want. Juyeon, the alpha who treats Hyunjae like he’s the best, who looks at him with stars in his eyes. His Juyeon.

He looks back across the field at the men training. Juyeon is still sparring with the other guard, both of them deft and quick in their movements. The sweat glistening against his skin was visible, even from afar, and Hyunjae felt his skin tingle, the sight a visual reminder of last night. The sweat that clung to both of them as Juyeon lovingly held Hyunjae close, pushing into his body ever so gently, as he kissed him through it all. 

Hyunjae could feel his neck aching, that one spot where Juyeon had hovered over time and time again, where Hyunjae’s omega begged to be marked. The alpha had spent so much time near that spot, breath hitting the sensitive skin multiple times, each time to be replaced with a kiss or a love bite, the skin currently bruised and being one of the only hickeys that is visible on Hyunjae, the prince’s dress shirt not covering it. Haknyeon had offered to call one of the maids to help him cover it up, but Hyunjae declined, feeling as if he wanted to show it off. It may not be an official mating mark yet, but it’s close enough. And Hyunjae would always wear Juyeon’s marks on his skin with pride.

The omega reaches up to rub the sensitive skin with his hand, feeling it throb. His omega was _begging_ for his alpha to bite him, put his teeth into his skin and claim him, mark him. His thoughts wandered back to what Haknyeon asked once more, before dispelling them again. He would talk to Juyeon tonight.

* * *

Hyunjae didn’t expect this to happen.

He had rather hoped that tonight he could dine with Juyeon alone, before settling down together to cuddle when he could ask the alpha questions that have been bugging him since Haknyeon had talked to him earlier today. But of course, things couldn’t go the way he had planned, and instead, he finds himself sitting at the dining table joined by Chanhee and Sunwoo as well.

His cousin has that stupid grin on his face, and Hyunjae has half the mind to slap him, if it wasn’t for the fact that Sunwoo was there. Apparently, he had become friends with Juyeon during the day, and while the alpha didn’t confirm the statement, he didn’t deny it either, which is why they’ve all come together, with Chanhee obviously waiting for something juicy to happen.

Instead they’re all met with awkward silence, and Hyunjae doesn’t make any move to break it, as his cousin’s brought this upon himself. The alphas seem awkward, however, as Sunwoo worries his bottom lip between his teeth and Juyeon keeps glancing at Hyunjae with those big, lost, confused puppy eyes.

Hyunjae instead directs his attention to his cutlery, cleaning each utensil with his table napkin thoroughly, before settling the napkin on his lap. His eyes meet those of Chanhee’s, which still hold that _look_ in his eyes, but Hyunjae still doesn’t budge, refusing to let the younger omega win.

Finally, the pink haired omega seems to have had enough, as he folds his hands and says, “So,”

The single syllable to break the tension in the air seems to make both alphas excited to focus their attention on him, eager to have something else to direct their attention to that wasn’t the wall. Hyunjae remains unfazed as he sips his wine.

“You chose an alpha that you already knew.” Chanhee says. It’s a statement rather than anything else, and Hyunjae doesn’t respond. He makes a point to take his time sipping his wine, before saying “And you chose one that you don’t,” as it seems they’re pointing out the obvious today.

They lapse into silence once more. Hyunjae narrows his eyes at his cousin in silent challenge, the shit-eating grin on his cousin’s face serving only to piss him off even further. Chanhee lets out a sigh, before picking up his wine glass and swirling the liquid languidly, as he says “I thought you said you would never want an alpha?” He comments. Hyunjae doesn’t notice the way Juyeon freezes, as he stops to look at the older.

“Yeah well, you also said you would become vegetarian and look where that brought you,” Hyunjae says, just as Chanhee reaches for the bacon-potato appetizers. He ignores the sneer his cousin gives him in return as Hyunjae helps himself to the mushroom caps stuffed with cheese, and the bacon-wrapped sirloin bites. He also takes Juyeon’s empty plate and loads it full of a little bit of everything, before placing it back in front of him, not saying anything as the action feels so natural for him.

Sunwoo is nibbling on the garlic cheese toast silently, and Hyunjae almost feels bad for being so cold this dinner. He hadn’t really gotten to know the red-head, having avoided his cousin like the plague ever since he came home with an alpha, but he seemed like a nice kid. He opens his mouth to say something, but the words die on his lips when he spots the mark on Chanhee’s neck when the omega turns to fuss over his alpha, scolding him about using the right utensils.

It’s undeniable that it’s the mating mark. The scarred bite that would never fade on Chanhee’s otherwise flawless neck, right below the spot where his jawline started, hidden from view when you’re not looking for it.

Hyunjae holds his tongue as he looks at the two, interacting so naturally like a married couple. _‘They practically are now that they’re mated,”_ Hyunjae thinks to himself.

He instead stuffs a mushroom into his mouth as he looks down, feeling something akin to sadness pool in his heart. Though he doesn’t remain that way for long, as a large hand sneaks onto his leg, caressing his thigh gently.

The omega whips his head up to see Juyeon reaching out to him, a small smile on his lips. He rubs Hyunjae’s leg comfortingly, as he makes eye contact with him, as if to ask, _'are you okay?'_

The prince smiles as he nods, letting Juyeon know he’s fine. The alpha doesn’t seem to totally believe him (Hyunjae isn’t sure he believes himself either) as he continues to massage the flesh. If it wasn’t for the mood he was in, Hyunjae would totally find himself dying over how big Juyeon’s hand looked on his slim thigh, probably resulting in him jumping the alpha that very night.

 _‘Sunwoo’s marked Chanhee already,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, the delicious food tasting that cardboard in his mouth. _‘Sunwoo, an alpha that knew nothing about Chanhee before meeting him two months ago, has already marked him,’_

Hyunjae is staring at the two, as he takes a sip of his wine. Of course Sunwoo would mark Chanhee - the other omega was the epitome of what was thought to be the ‘proper’ omega. Petit, delicate, and pretty, with soft curves and beautiful features. From Chanhee’s big doe eyes to the delicate build of his body, he’s everything an alpha would want.

Unlike Hyunjae, who’s spent so long trying to make himself look more like an alpha to gain the respect and support of palace officials and the people in general. Hyunjae, who spent long hours training until his hands formed calluses and his body was lined with lean muscle. From his broad shoulders to his taller stature, physically speaking, he was nothing like an omega.

He’s starting to spiral. Unhearing to everything around him, his mind is awhirl with all these questions and thoughts, the central one being, _‘Why hasn’t Juyeon marked me yet? What have I done to displease him?’_

He doesn’t even notice how he’s gripping the cloth napkin in his lap so tightly, his knuckles are turning white, doesn’t even notice the obvious concern on Juyeon’s face, especially as Hyunjae is getting that look that Juyeon recognizes; to everyone else, it might seem just as if he’s zoning out, but after everything they’ve been through, Juyeon knows that look. The one that has panic written across it, despite there being nothing wrong.

 _‘This isn’t fair. To be the perfect prince and to be the perfect omega, they’re just not compatible! How am I supposed to be both? I can’t!’_ Hyunjae is thinking to himself, his breathing quickening. His eyes burn with unshed tears of frustration. All his life, Hyunjae has done everything he could to be _perfect_ . To be everything that his mother and father are, to be what everyone expects of him, to gain and earn everyone’s trust and loyalty. And yet, he feels as if he’s fallen short when it comes to being the perfect _omega_.

 _‘Is it because of my position? The amount of power I hold? Is that why?’_ Hyunjae stops himself short at the thought. No. No, that isn’t right. He shouldn’t be thinking like this, Juyeon wouldn’t be so shallow and narrow minded as to care about Hyunjae’s physical features and his social standing. No, Juyeon is the most caring, most loving, most careful alpha. Not some bigot.

The thoughts have Hyunjae calming, if not only slightly. He takes a deep breath, fingers loosening on his napkin - this had been one of the things that Hyunjae had talked to the palace therapist on his first visit the past week. He and Juyeon both agreed to get some professional help, and Hyunjae is finding his shoulders just slightly lighter after every session.

 _‘My thoughts are always going to go to the worst possible scenario,’_ Hyunjae reminds himself. _‘I need to do my best to think rationally - the Juyeon I know would have a valid answer for all of this, he wouldn’t want me to worry about this,’_

Speaking of, Hyunjae suddenly remembers where he is. His head turns to look at the alpha, Juyeon visibly relaxing when he sees Hyunjae’s no longer about to tear the napkin apart, his eyes clearer and more focused. But as they sit there, staring at one another, Juyeon can tell something is wrong.

Hyunjae only smiles, one that feels tight and forced on his face, but he doesn’t let Juyeon pry. Not now, not when he’s still trying to process his own thoughts and emotions, not when Chanhee and Sunwoo are here. Which is why Hyunjae uses the other couple as an excuse, suddenly opening his mouth to start conversation about them, unseeing to the way Juyeon’s gaze lingers on him, eyes worried, his brow furrowed.

Even as he talks with Sunwoo, as he banters with Chanhee, Hyunjae’s mind is still working overtime. That little, nagging voice at the back of his head keeps telling him that it’s a problem Juyeon hasn’t marked him yet, that it’s somehow _his_ fault for doing or not doing something. But for now, Hyunjae ignores it, as he tries to make it through this dinner, hardly glancing at his own alpha for the rest of the meal.

 _‘Just looking at him might send me spiralling again,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he also carefully turns his head away whenever Chanhee turns his own head to expose his mating mark. 

_‘Breathe, Hyunjae. You’ve got this - just make it through this meal, it’ll all be_ fine _,’_

Little does he know that his alpha notices all of these, Juyeon’s own mind sorting away all these strange behaviours into his own head.

* * *

“Is everything okay?” Hyunjae turns at the sight of Juyeon in the doorway, watching him with worried eyes as Hyunjae changes into his sleeping attire. 

The dinner had concluded on a relatively nice note - Hyunjae managed to make it out alive, smiling kindly to Sunwoo (who he learned is actually quite pleasant) and giving a nod to Chanhee - the younger returns the nod, but even with the cattiness and sassy attitude Chanhee wears everywhere, Hyunjae is somewhat grateful for the fact his cousin bothered to even want to meet Juyeon.

Though neither show it often, Chanhee and Hyunjae are the closest thing to being siblings, despite them being cousins. 

But even after the dinner, doubts linger in Hyunjae’s mind, images of Sunwoo’s mark on Chanhee’s neck making Hyunjae touch his own neck over and over again, his thoughts swirling. And in this moment, he can’t control himself, as he looks at Juyeon, the alpha looking so very _concerned_ as Hyunjae sets his jaw.

Hyunjae doesn’t respond, as he changes his top, before stalking over to the alpha.

“Mark me,” he says, voice low. The alpha looks stunned into silence as he blinks at the older, eyes wide. “What?”

“I said, mark me. Bite me,” Hyunjae repeats, tilting his neck to the side. He watches as Juyeon’s eyes flash that liquid gold colour, before the younger is shaking his head, blinking and rubbing his eyes, stumbling backwards. “What are you saying?”

Tears of frustration well behind Hyunjae’s eyes. He swallows them down, as he grabs the lapels of Juyeon’s jacket. “I’m asking you to bite me, alpha,” he says, trying to keep the tremble out of his voice. He levels a steady stare at Juyeon, and the alpha looks shocked for a moment, eyes searching Hyunjae’s, before he lets out a sigh.

“You don’t want that,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae can feel the tears coming. He lets go of Juyeon’s jacket, as he turns away from him, refusing to let the alpha see him cry over something so trivial. He marches to the bathroom instead, leaving the alpha in their shared bedroom, as Hyunjae turns on the water and begins to wash his face. At least that way, his tears wouldn’t be able to be seen.

Hyunjae doesn’t even realize how violently and unnecessarily vigorously he’s rubbing his face with his hands repeatedly, until Juyeon’s hand comes to rest on his back, stopping the omega as he looks up at the mirror to see him standing behind him, jacket and sword discarded, eyes still worried as he gazed down at him.

This has the omega stopping, as he turns off the water. He goes to dry his face, before seeing Juyeon’s leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom.

“Can you move?” Hyunjae asks, not in the mood for this. The alpha crosses his arms. “Not until you tell me why you’re so upset,” he says. Hyunjae lets out a breath angrily. “I’m not upset!” He says, a bit louder than intended. The alpha raises an eyebrow and Hyunjae shrinks in on himself a bit.

“I just…” the omega trails off as he tries to think of a way to piece together what he was feeling without sounding whiny.

“Why won’t you mark me?”

The question that spills out of his mouth is a surprise to both the alpha and himself. Juyeon’s eyes are big, and Hyunjae tries not to let any emotions leak onto his face. Before the alpha can say anything, Hyunjae is shaking his head.

“Forget I said anything,” Hyunjae mumbles, trying to push past the alpha. But Juyeon catches him by the shoulders, not letting the omega slide past. “Hyunjae hyung,” he says, voice all soft and gentle. The omega refuses to look at him as he continues to struggle in his grasp. “Let go of me,” he says, trying to sound angry but the voice only coming out as weak and on the verge of tears once more. Juyeon lets out a heavy sigh as he forcibly grabs Hyunjae and makes him face him.

“Hyunjae hyung,” he says once more, as the omega finally stops struggling. His eyes are trained on Juyeon’s feet, but the touch of the alpha’s finger to the bottom of his chin and the gentle movement of his face upwards has him staring into those deep, gentle eyes of the younger. He wets his lips out of nerves; he didn’t want to hear the answer if it meant he would be even more in pain.

“I never said I wouldn’t mark you,” Juyeon says and Hyunjae bites his bottom lip. “Just a while ago-“

“I won’t mark you now. Not while you’re so upset and not thinking rationally. I want you to be 100% certain you want to be marked- and even then, I need clear, verbal consent while you’re clear minded,” Juyeon says, voice steady and calm. Hyunjae feels silly now. His alpha is just trying to be fair and here Hyunjae is, being a total drama queen.

“I...but what about last night?” He asks and Juyeon gives Hyunjae a small smile. “What about it?”

“Why didn’t you mark me then? I...I was willing to give myself to you completely and mates usually...you know. Complete the bond then,” Hyunjae says, eyes avoiding the alpha as he talks. Juyeon gives a small chuckle. “You talk as if we’ll never have a night like that again,” Hyunjae’s face feels hot as Juyeon pinches his cheek softly, before cupping his face. “I told you, baby. I want you to be in the right state of mind when I mark you - we hadn’t discussed beforehand and I knew you weren’t able to consent with a clear mind at the moment. I cherish the fact you trust me enough to let me take you, but you have to understand that isn’t the same as wanting to mate someone - you trust Haknyeon right?”

Hyunjae nods and Juyeon smiles. “But would you let him mark you?” 

“God no!” Hyunjae exclaims and Juyeon laughs. “See, that’s what I’m talking about,” he says, laughing. Hyunjae pouts. “Then...will you mark me the next time we have sex?” 

The alpha gives him a soft sigh as he looks at Hyunjae’s face adoringly. “We can talk about this in the morning. You should sleep baby,” Juyeon says and Hyunjae whines. “No! I know what I want, I’m a grown man, Juyeon. I’ve been thinking about it all day, please...just promise me you’ll mark me the next time we sleep together.”

Juyeon is silent and he looks at the omega, eyes searching his. Hyunjae tries his best to appear earnest, and Juyeon lets out a small sigh. “Fine. If tomorrow morning you still want me to mark you...I’ll pin you down to the bed right then and there and take you hard before marking you. And if not, we can talk about when would be a good time to think about marking,” Juyeon says and Hyunjae agrees. He already knows he wants Juyeon’s mark on his skin, and will take that deal - he’s waited an entire day, what another few hours?

They climb into bed together after that, Hyunjae eager now to fall asleep, and Juyeon ensuring to cuddle up next to the omega, the younger always being the bigger spoon. Hyunjae can feel Juyeon’s big palms against his back, keeping him pressed up tightly against the alpha, and Hyunjae lets himself breathe in the comforting scent of the alpha. He feels his entire being just relax from that scent which just screamed “safety” to him.

Juyeon has his lips pressed against Hyunjae’s head, breathing in the omega with every breath as he holds him close to his own body like he would never let go. He’s always been like that and Hyunjae has to say that he quite likes it - which is why he smiles happily to himself as he snuggles closer to the alpha, if possible.

It doesn’t take long for Juyeon to fall asleep. Hyunjae can hear the steady breathing of the alpha, and a glance upwards confirms that yes, the alpha is fast asleep. Yet with the thought of tomorrow morning looming above Hyunjae’s head, he honestly has no idea how he’ll be able to sleep now.

His mind is racing and his heart is pounding. He can’t wait to be Juyeon’s for life - he can’t wait to be able to show off that yes, he has the best alpha as his mate, and no, no one would be able to separate them again. Not after they’ve binded their souls together, not after Hyunjae can officially make Juyeon his prince consort.

The mere thought has Hyunjae giddy. He wishes time would pass faster - being able to call Juyeon his for real couldn’t come fast enough, and Hyunjae just feels so happy now that he’s admitted his feelings to himself and to the alpha - especially since they’re reciprocated. And the omega can’t help but daydream of the future.

 _‘Our pups would be the cutest.’_ he thinks to himself as he listens to the steady sound of Juyeon’s heart. He imagines a little girl, with Juyeon’s eyes and lips and his nose and hair. Or maybe a boy with Juyeon’s laugh and temperament, and his eyes and interests. With his body pressed so closely to Juyeon’s, Hyunjae’s mind wanders. He wonders if Juyeon would want pups, and how many? 

_‘He would be a great dad,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. The gentle and soft way Juyeon cares for him is the perfect material for being a good father - he can almost see the alpha holding their pup, big hands so gentle with such a small being. Hyunjae sighs happily at the thought - he knows that Juyeon would cherish their family more than anything, and he’s so happy that he has been able to make such a wonderful, perfect alpha his own.

Hyunjae can’t believe that Juyeon would ever be seen as dangerous or vicious. All he’s seen of Juyeon ever since they came home together almost a month ago has been pure love and sweetness. Even now, as Juyeon sleeps, his grip on the omega is so comforting and warm, gentle and yet firm. Hyunjae’s heart flutters thinking about that one time someone outside their door had dropped a tray, making the alpha jump up and instantly shield Hyunjae behind him. Hyunjae was still half asleep, not understanding anything, and yet Juyeon was so ready to protect him despite being just woken up.

The alpha had calmed down after they investigated, but explained to Hyunjae the reason why he holds him so close to himself is for this exact reason - being able to ensure Hyunjae was safe is his one and only priority, and the words still make the prince’s heart flutter just thinking about it.

 _‘The perfect alpha,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself as he buries his face in Juyeon’s broad chest. The alpha sleepily snuggles his face into Hyunjae’s hair, mumbling something in his sleep, the action making Hyunjae smile.

He might not get any sleep tonight. But at least he’ll be able to feel comforted and safe in the arms of his alpha.

* * *

Hyunjae awakes with a start. He doesn’t know when or how he fell asleep, but he did, somehow. His brain is racing. Juyeon. 

He immediately looks up, and sees he’s still in the alpha’s embrace, the younger still asleep. Hyunjae’s eyes dart to the side, trying to see the time, and he’s surprised when the clock says it’s only 6 AM. He couldn’t have gotten more than 4 hours of sleep, and yet, he feels so alert.

The prince debates about whether he should wake Juyeon up or not. Adrenaline is running through his veins - he wants the alpha to mark him so badly, his neck is throbbing so _urgently_ it almost hurts. But at the same time, he doesn’t want to bother the alpha - he had worked so hard yesterday at practice.

Hyunjae had appreciated watching Juyeon practice, even if it was from afar. The sight of the alpha gracefully sparring with one of the guards was oh-so attractive, especially combined with the look of focus on the alpha’s face. It was undeniably hot.

The omega suddenly feels slick start to leak out of him, the sensation making him stop. What? Why is his body reacting like this? Hyunjae does a mental overall check of his body - he doesn’t feel anything poking his back, and nothing seems out of the norm; sure he feels a little warm but- oh.

His mind is racing as he sits up, flinging the alpha’s arms off of him. He ignores the little whines of protest Juyeon makes as he runs to the bathroom, and looks at himself in the mirror. His eyes look a little glassy and his neck is throbbing. His skin looks flushed and he’s out of breath - oh no.

 _‘I can’t be going into a heat now,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. His fingers grab the side of the sink as he stares at himself in the mirror. He’s not due for another few months - why is he reacting like this so early?!

He starts to dig through the cabinets, looking for suppressants. A frustrated groan leaves his lips when he can’t find any - he can feel more slick start to leak out of him, as his dick starts to grow hard. Hyunjae is close to crying, and not because of the fact he’s going into heat. Well, that too, but mostly because he’s scared Juyeon will refuse to mark him because he’s ‘not in the right state of mind.’

 _‘I waited a whole damn night and my stupid heat decided to show up and fuck me over,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself bitterly, the omega swearing at his hormones.

In the end, the prince decides to splash his face with some cool water, before getting Haknyeon to bring him some suppressants. He has been planning on asking Juyeon to help him through his heat, which was supposed to happen in a few months' time, but since it decided to show up randomly, looks like he’ll have to wait another six months. 

_‘At least by then, hopefully I’ll be marked,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself with a pout.

He leaves the bathroom quietly, trying not to wake the alpha. The prince makes his way to the door as silently as possible, wanting to get Haknyeon to prepare him a room before his scent gets too strong, when he hears Juyeon’s voice.

“Where are you going?”

The omega pauses, cursing his luck as he turns around. The alpha looks groggy and half awake, and Hyunjae tries not to look suspicious. He’s sure after a few suppressants he’ll be fine, and doesn’t want the alpha to worry unnecessarily. “Uhhh, I need Haknyeon to get me something - it’ll be quick,” he says, before rushing out of the door.

Hyunjae is swearing under his breath as he runs towards Haknyeon’s room. Thankfully, the castle is only now starting to wake up, and Hyunjae is barging into his advisor’s room without a single reservation.

The loud bang of the door scares the poor beta who was in the middle of getting dressed, eliciting a very girlish scream from him, legs getting tangled up in his pants and causing him to fall over. If it wasn’t for the burning sensation that started to well up inside of him, Hyunjae would’ve laughed at the situation.

“Haknyeon, I need you to get me my suppressants,” Hyunjae says quickly. The beta is picking himself up from the floor with a grumbled “well good morning to you too,” making Hyunjae sigh impatiently.

“Haknyeon seriously! I need those suppressants as soon as possible!” Hyunjae says, voice urgent. The beta stops looking at him. “But you’re not due for a few months,”

“Yeah, well, tell my body that,” Hyunjae says, frowning. Haknyeon’s eyes widen as he properly smells the prince. “Oh god, okay, uh, let’s get you to the nesting room first,” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae lets the younger lead him to the isolated room at the other end of the castle. By the time he’s inside the room, safely with the door locked, Hyunjae’s entire body feels like it’s burning.

He’s never truly gone through a heat without suppressants, and it’s hell. He feels like his insides are melting, and his clothes are so suffocatingly hot, that the prince is stripping off every article of clothing except for his boxers. The back is already soaking wet and he knows he’s blindingly hard, and his omega is crying out for Juyeon, his alpha, to come and take him.

Hyunjae is crying as he throws himself into the bed, wanting nothing more than for the heat to just stop. His hips rut forwards unconsciously as he tries to satisfy at least one of his urges, the omega coming not even five minutes later. Sadly, the orgasm doesn’t do anything for him except take a little bit of the edge off, and he’s still just as hard, only now with soiled underwear.

Haknyeon is knocking on the door, before sliding a bag through the slot that each of the scent proof doors have built into them. Just large enough to slide through two books stacked upon one another, and with a side slider that allows to ease of access. Hyunjae looks up wearily, and forces himself to walk over, legs trembling with every step. He rips open the paper bag, grabbing the pills and forcing two down, as he croaks out a weak “thanks,” 

The pills will take some time to kick in and Hyunjae wants death. Even with the suppressants, he was hornier than usual - but right now he wants nothing more than to quell the heat spreading through his body. He feels like he’s going to suffocate in his own skin, and every brush of material against his skin is so, so _irritating_.

From the tips of his fingers to his toes, Hyunjae is burning up, and every one of his nerve endings are so sensitive, he doesn’t understand how people can survive their heat without suppressants. The omega ends up on the bed, curled up in a fetal position with the covers thrown off. He cries as the molten heat courses through him, every single cell of his body crying out for Juyeon to come and put out the fire that’s burning him inside.

“Hngh _alpha_ ,” Hyunjae lets the words slip out from his lips as he sticks a hand into his boxers, before he begins to touch himself. He thinks about Juyeon hovering over him, Juyeon’s big hands around his cock, the alpha’s comforting scent surrounding him and breath hitting his neck as he whispers praises into the omega’s ear. Hyunjae comes within a few minutes once more, before he’s shaking his underwear off, throwing it to the floor.

He’s still hard, and he still wants nothing more than for him alpha to come and mark him up. But it looks like the prince will have to wait another week at least, the thought making him want to cry.

* * *

“What do you mean I can’t see him now?”

Juyeon is trying his very hardest to not knock Changmin over and tear the palace apart searching for his omega. The omega is hurriedly explaining something about the prince not feeling well and if it wasn’t for the fact that Juyeon had promised Hyunjae he would try not to ‘wolf out’ so much, he would already be roaming the halls in his wolf form, tracking the omega down.

“If he’s sick, his alpha should be with him,” Juyeon says, crossing his arms. Changmin’s mouth opens to say something, when both of them hear Haknyeon’s voice, the two turning to see the other beta walking down the hall.

“He’s not sick, his heat’s just come a bit sooner than expected,” Haknyeon says. Juyeon watches as Haknyeon walks over to him, Changmin quietly leaving the two alone as the beta approaches the alpha without hesitation.

“Hyunjae is currently in one of the isolation nesting rooms at the other end of the palace - you should be able to see him in about a week,” Haknyeon says and Juyeon frowns

“What? I’m his alpha, shouldn’t I be with him during all of this?” Juyeon exclaims and Haknyeon raises an eyebrow. “Last time I checked, Hyunjae doesn’t have an alpha yet - I didn’t see any claiming mark on his neck,” Haknyeon says and Juyeon’s jaw clenches. That was a cheap move, and they both know it; though seeing as how the omega would probably have to suffer through this heat alone, perhaps Juyeon deserved that one.

“Where is he?” Juyeon asks and Haknyeon crosses his arms. “I can’t tell you that,”

“Why not? I just want to make sure he’s safe,” Juyeon counters and the beta rolls his eyes. “Do you really think I would put Hyunjae in danger? He’s fine, and he’ll continue to be kept safe until his heat is over,” Haknyeon replies and Juyeon growls under his breath. 

“You can’t just keep me from him,” the alpha growls, but Haknyeon remains unfazed. “Actually, I can. And I will. You have the palace to do whatever you want while Hyunjae is gone - I’m sure you’ll find a way to keep yourself busy,” Haknyeon says dismissively. And while the beta is being a real pain in the ass, Juyeon understands the concern - alphas within a meter radius of any omega in a heat would be a danger to said omega, especially if they’re unmated. And while Juyeon would like to think of Hyunjae as his, once again, Haknyeon has a point. Without the mark, the prince is technically still unmated and unclaimed. Juyeon’s nails are digging into his own palms as he clenches his fists, frustrated, but defeated.

Haknyeon must sense this, as he places a hand on the alpha’s shoulder. “You’ll probably be the first person he’ll want to see after this is all over,” the beta says, voice gentler than before. Juyeon can’t bring himself to say anything, and the beta takes that as a sign to leave, as he leaves the room quietly, shutting the door behind him with a silent click.

The alpha sits there for a moment in the silence. He wants nothing more than to be beside the omega right now, holding his Hyunjae close to himself as he comforts his mate through his heat. But of course, that’s just wishful thinking right now. He won’t be seeing his Hyunjae for a good week, if not slightly more, and the thought of him in pain, suffering through a heat alone when Juyeon sits helplessly in the castle by himself makes both him and his alpha whine. 

But without that claiming mark on his neck, Juyeon really doesn’t have any true claim to the omega. Which is really just his luck, trying to be a gentleman only to be putting his angel through suffering alone. He curses to himself, as he instead buries his face in the pillow the omega used last night, and breathes in deeply.

The scent calms him down majorly, but even the fading smell of his omega holds the slight undertone of honey and vanilla, the telltale sign that he was going into a heat. Juyeon is unafraid to continue smelling the pillow, taking in deep breaths full of his Hyunjae’s scent before it fades completely.

 _‘Should I have marked him last night like he asked?’_ Juyeon wonders to himself, as he hugs the pillow to his chest. He gazes at the bed forlornly. It’s been not even an hour and he already misses him. The alpha is unsure how he’s going to get through an entire week without his omega, without telling him how much he loves him and how much he’s sorry he’s unable to help.

Suddenly, an idea comes to the alpha. He remembers reading up on how some mates are able to communicate their feelings to each other when separated - the bond between the souls allows them for some kind of telepathic communication, and while there is no mark to link them, Juyeon feels as if it doesn’t hurt to try. Though he’s not sure where to begin and to what degree he would be able to talk to Hyunjae, he gathers up his thoughts and reaches deep within himself.

He thinks about Hyunjae. The scent of the omega, the feel of him in his arms, his smile that never fails to make his heart lighter and the way that he feels when he says his name. The calming feeling of stroking his hair gently as the prince rambles on about his day, the stars in his eyes as he talks about something he’s passionate about, the pure adoration that Juyeon holds for his precious hyung - and then, he feels it.

Juyeon knows without a doubt it’s his omega. But the strong feelings of longing and agony he feels has him gasping audibly. It’s like a punch to the gut, and the alpha is curling up on the bed as the feelings of Hyunjae permeate his mind.

 _“Alpha,”_ he can practically hear the omega crying out, begging for him, and Juyeon is whimpering in response. He wants nothing more than to go to him, find him, give him what he wants, to comfort him and ease him through the pain of a heat. Juyeon’s alpha is telling him to go find him, to go to his omega, to take him, to mark him, to claim him. But Juyeon knows that’s not right - knows that now more than ever, Hyunjae would not be in the right mindset to give consent which is the whole reason they’re in this mess. And so the alpha just digs his nails into the blanket, as he grits his teeth and tries to send the omega some comfort.

He’s not sure how to go about it, but he thinks about the feeling of hugging him tightly to his chest. And like a mental movement of his body, he imagines him pushing it in the direction of the prince, wherever he is. While he’s not sure if it works, the pain of the omega in his head does lessen a bit, and he almost hears the phantom sound of a soft noise of comfort coming from Hyunjae. Juyeon’s body sags a bit, as he falls down onto the bed, chest heaving with the effort.

It may have been hard on him mentally, but he feels that it’s worth it - being able to bring his omega any comfort during his time of need is worth it, at least, to Juyeon it is. 

_‘I’ll make it all up to you once this is over,’_ Juyeon thinks to himself. _‘I promise,’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and for making it this far, honestly haha. If you couldn't tell...this arc is gonna be dealing with a lot of more, ahem, physical features of a relationship ^^ 
> 
> Like I said in the beginning, this arc will be shorter (which I'm sorry...honestly the first arc was NOT supposed to be that long, I wanted each part to be 3 chapters but that beginning part just spiralled out of control lol) but I hope you still enjoy!
> 
> Thank you for being patient, thank you for reading, and an extra big thank you to everyone who's left me lovely comments both in the past and in the future. You are the reason I keep writing <3
> 
> As always, you can come chat with me on Twitter about your thoughts and feelings (or...idk anything really, tell me who you're most excited to see in this fic - because yes, all 12 members will be making an appearance, even if it's very brief)
> 
> I'll see you all next Friday for the next chapter!


	6. I'll trap myself for you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone! Here's a little gift from me to you~ (Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa to those celebrating those holidays as well! Just an all around happy holidays season haha) I meant to get this up yesterday but with everything that happened (lots of personal stuff) I didn't have the time T-T
> 
> Like I said, this arc will be a shorter one in comparison to the last one, but here's the next chapter!
> 
> I was worried that these chapters would be pitifully short, so looks like I might need to fluff up the next one haha
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

A sigh leaves Juyeon’s lips as he sits down at one of the tables at the eating hall, staring down at his lunch feeling guilty.

It’s only been a few hours since Hyunjae’s been (cruelly) snatched from his arms, and in that span of time, Juyeon had already fucked things up.

That is, his wolf decided to take over, and caused a huge ruckus and scene in the castle as multiple staff members and Haknyeon had done their best to restrain him, before finally they ended up locking him in one of the cellars in the basement until his wolf finally gave up. The whole fiasco only served to make him feel even more like shit - he felt so bad for Haknyeon, who has to deal with Juyeon’s bullshit on top of everything else the beta has to do.

Either way, Juyeon isn’t in the mood to do anything. Ever since he figured out how to reach out to Hyunjae, that bond connection hasn’t been able to be closed off, and just the mere _thought_ of the omega lets Juyeon feel what he feels - the phantom sensation of pain, want, and _burning_ kills Juyeon, especially knowing this is what Hyunjae is feeling.

He feels useless in this moment, a sad whine escaping his lips as he rests his chin on the table. Juyeon’s thinking about probably wallowing in sadness until Hyunjae comes back to him, only to be interrupted by a certain omega with pink hair.

“What’s got you so down?” Chanhee is asking as he takes a seat across from Juyeon. The alpha peeks up, surprised at seeing the omega with him, and even more so, without Sunwoo. The eating hall is used mostly by maids and guards, much like a cafeteria more than anything else. He always assumed Chanhee wouldn’t be caught dead here, as most royals ate in one of the many upscale dining halls on the fourth floor.

His surprise must show on his face, as Chanhee waves vaguely, saying, “Sunwoo’s busy with those etiquette lessons that you guys are forced to take. Poor thing can’t tell a dinner fork from a table fork,” Chanhee says, shaking his head. Juyeon almost comments on how they’re incredibly similar, but decides to hold his tongue - he’s pretty sure Chanhee hasn’t come here to discuss the vast array of forks and their uses.

“Hyunjae hyung is in a heat,” Juyeon murmurs, quietly as if others might be listening in. He’s not sure if it matters if others hear, but he imagines being in a heat is probably similar to a person being on their period; something that’s unexplainably _taboo_ despite the fact it’s a natural function of the body.

Chanhee doesn’t look miffed in the slightest, as he grabs a tomato off of Juyeon’s plate, popping it into his mouth as he goes, “So?”

A small frown comes to Juyeon’s face. “I can’t see him until it’s done - Haknyeon won’t even let me _talk_ to him,” Juyeon says, and he sighs. “I don’t even know where he is,” he mumbles dejectedly, playing with the edge of the napkin.

There’s a moment of silence, before Chanhee is sighing. “God, of _course_ this is something Haknyeon would do,” Chanhee says, before standing up. “Come with me,” is all he says, as he starts to walk out of the eating hall.

Juyeon is quick to follow the omega - he’s not going to be eating his lunch anytime soon, not with the way his mind is full of thoughts of _Hyunjae_ and it seems like whatever Chanhee’s about to tell him is important.

“I get why Haknyeon is being this way - he’s always been a bit overprotective with Hyunjae hyung ever since he was assigned to be his ‘personal assistant’ or whatever he calls himself.” Chanhee says, once he checks Juyeon is following him. “But this is just plain _cruel_ , what he’s doing to you and Hyunjae,” Chanhee says. Juyeon wants to agree but is afraid Haknyeon will materialize out of nowhere and whack him with a newspaper like that one time he caught him complaining to Hyunjae about how the beta can get _scary_ when teaching, and instead just nods silently.

Chanhee, obviously not scared of Haknyeon and his newspaper (or perhaps having never been on the receiving end of it - those whacks hurt a lot more than they should) continues his rambling, as he walks. “Like seriously, what any omega needs the most at this time? Their alpha,” Chanhee says, and Juyeon is pausing. “But...technically we aren’t mated yet,” Juyeon points out and Chanhee turns to look at him.

“Is he not your omega?” he asks and Juyeon, without even hesitating, immediately says, “Yes,” and Chanhee stares at him, before a soft smile comes to his lips. “Then I see no problem here,”

They continue walking, and it’s only as they turn the corner does Juyeon realize Chanhee is bringing him to the library. “Anyways, I brought you here because I wanted to explain something to you - also because Haknyeon avoids this place like the plague ever since he was assigned to cleaning out one of the unused sections a few years back,” Chanhee explains, as he makes Juyeon sit at one of the tables. “You stay here, I’ll be back in a second,”

Juyeon nods, as Chanhee makes his way off into the stacks of books. The alpha looks around at the library in awe - he’d been here a few times in the past, mostly passing through, but he’s never gotten a good look at how big the palace library really was.

There seems to be at least two stories, if not more, with thousands of books filling the space. They’re sorted neatly by subject matter, and Juyeon finds himself wanting to just read anything. He’s never really had the pleasure of reading for fun ever since he was put into that facility so many years ago.

His eyes trace over the spines of the many books before him - some are worn and old, while others look untouched and new, the crisp lettering standing out against the leather of the covering. He remembers the books Haknyeon had him fetch before getting him to read it - it was on omega anatomy, and while he knew a lot of what the book had described to him (a lot of it was through experience, while some was through the facility) he had finished the assigned chapters anyways.

An idea suddenly comes to mind - Juyeon can probably find his way back to that section, and he wonders if perhaps there would be more books there to help him better understand everything that’s going on.

Chanhee emerges from the labyrinth of books at that thought, a few scrolls in his hands. “I could’ve just told you what I’m about to say, but I figured having these as visual helpers would be easier to understand,” Chanhee says, as he grabs random books off shelves to hold the scrolls open.

It’s clear to see that what Chanhee brought were blueprints of the palace - most specifically, the northern wing. The omega is pointing a manicured finger at one section, as he says, “The northern wing was built with the intention of letting all omegas in heats some place to rest and be safe from any alphas or just other people who might irritate them,” Chanhee starts, pointing at a cluster of rooms built in the corner of the palace.

“These one are for staff, guards, and any other run of the mill people to use,” Chanhee says, before grabbing the other scroll and opening it up. Juyeon notices that this one is the blueprint of the fifth floor, and Chanhee is pointing at the same wing of the floor, pointing at a cluster of rooms which seem much bigger than the other ones on the first floor.

“And these are for royalty. Anyone with a drop of royal blood uses them - of course, they’re more like Hyunjae hyung’s special little corner of the palace, since he’s the only unmated royal omega at the moment,” Chanhee says and Juyeon is nodding, before looking at the omega. “Why are you telling me this?”

Chanhee opens his mouth, before crossing his arms and sighing. “Honestly? Because I went through a heat without seeing Sunwoo for a good week and it _wrecked_ me. I just wanted to talk to him, to hear his voice, but I couldn’t. And… well, I guess I don’t want Hyunjae hyung to go through that too,” Chanhee says, voice softening at the end. “Besides, I don’t think he’s stupid enough to actually unlock the door and let you in - he’s definitely smart enough to not want a pup now, especially with all the preparations for your wedding and stuff underway,”

Juyeon is biting back the remark about how their pup would be adorable and whenever Hyunjae wants one (even if it’s now) he’s more than willing to step up to the job, and instead smiles gratefully at Chanhee. “Thank you, Chanhee,” he says, and Chanhee is smiling. “No problem - though you should thank me after I go pay him a visit in a few days,” Chanhee says and Juyeon is tilting his head to the side. “A few days?”

Chanhee smiles, while nodding. “Yup. I have something planned that’ll definitely be worth it for both of you,” he says, the omega smiling deviously. “Don’t tell Haknyeon though, he’ll literally burst an artery if you do,” 

While Juyeon is both excited (and frankly, slightly scared) he’s saying his goodbyes to the omega as Chanhee tells him he’ll meet him outside the eating hall in three days, leaving the alpha alone, as he goes through the library looking for the section on omega’s. While he’s content knowing there’s measures put into place for omegas in heats, he still wants to try and put his mind at ease a bit more, by doing some good old fashioned research.

Which is why a few moments later, he sits down at another table with a handful of books, deciding to read through them and find out some more information about how he might be able to make his mate feel better.

Picking up the book titled _An Alpha’s Guide to the Omega’s Body - Heat Tips and Tricks_ , Juyeon smiles to himself thinking of Hyunjae. While he misses his prince dearly, he’ll be sure to smother him in kisses and love once he’s got him back in his arms. And in the meantime, he’ll do his best to find ways to make his love’s life a little bit easier.

_‘Hold on, hyung. I’ll see you soon enough,’_

* * *

Hyunjae is looking over from his spot on the patio, eyes going to the two figures running across the field in the palace courtyard.

A smile comes to his lips hearing the familiar laughs; one familiar one that made his heart do flips, and another that had his entire being melting with how _adorable_ it was. He smiles down at the sight of Juyeon chasing after their little girl, the daughter giggling as she runs as fast as her tiny legs will take her, Juyeon pretending to chase her down.

 _‘Wait a second. Daughter?!’_ Hyunjae eyes are widening as he looks at the two, seeing the way Juyeon is so _happy_ , as he picks up the girl, exclaiming, “I caught you, Eunbyul!”

Eunbyul is giggling, as Juyeon pretends to bite her tiny fingers, shrieking, “No dada, no!” flailing in Juyeon’s strong grasp. The alpha laughs heartily as he carries her towards Hyunjae, eyes flickering up to his mate, a playful gleam in them.

And Hyunjae’s confusion and shock must not be clear on his face, because Juyeon is walking towards him, a mischievous look in his eyes as he carries _their pup_ in his arms, the little girl catching sight of Hyunjae and yelling, “Daddy! Help me!”

As they get closer, Hyunjae can see Eunbyul’s features, which have him gasping. She has Juyeon’s cat-like eyes and mischievous smile, that makes it look like she knows something you don’t. But her hair is a honey blonde, like Hyunjae’s, with the delicate nose bridge and pouty bottom lip that definitely comes from him. And the way she wiggles in Juyeon’s grasp, screaming bloody murder is another thing that definitely comes from Hyunjae, the prince unable to help the snort that escapes him at seeing his mate wrangling this pup.

“Come here princess, daddy will save you from this mean alpha,” Hyunjae says, going to get up to take the girl. Juyeon pretends to appear offended, as Eunbyul clings to Hyunjae’s shirt, casting a mocking look towards Juyeon, making Hyunjae laugh. “I can’t believe that I have two sassy omegas to deal with,” Juyeon says, sighing, and Hyunjae laughs at the same time Eunbyul does.

Upon closer inspection, Hyunjae realizes just how much she resembles him. Though there are traces of Juyeon in her, in some ways more prominent than the subtle resemblance to him, Eunbyul just seems to be undeniably _his_ daughter, something that Juyeon seems to know as well, as he says, “You two are like a pair,” coming over to grab Hyunjae by the waist.

Hyunjae looks up at Juyeon, heart skipping a beat at the soft way he looks at both him and the little girl, one of his big hands going to delicately brush some of Eunbyul’s hair out of her face, the little omega pretending to bite his finger as he does so, making the alpha laugh as she giggles, gently poking her nose.

“Yup, she’s definitely your daughter,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae lets out of a scoff. “I never tried to bite you!” he exclaims, making both Eunbyul and Juyeon laugh, the sound putting a smile of his own on his lips. “Yeah, but I can think of ten times off the top of my head where you definitely would’ve resorted to biting if things didn’t go your way,”

Hyunjae is rolling his eyes, but his heart feels so _content_ with having Eunbyul in his arms, with Juyeon to his back. Everything feels so _right,_ and he leans against the alpha, smiling as he says, “I want our next one to look like you,”

And suddenly Juyeon is kissing him, mouth searing against his own, and Hyunjae is moaning into the kiss as he’s pinning him down to a bed, Eunbyul seemingly having disappeared as Juyeon continues to _devour_ him, Hyunjae breathing heavily at the way the alpha is pressing kiss after kiss to the older man’s skin.

Hands are clawing at each other’s clothes, as Hyunjae whimpers out a needy, “Juyeonnie,” as the alpha is practically tearing open his shirt.

“You’re always so good to me, hyung,” Juyeon murmurs against his skin, eyes dark on Hyunjae’s frame. “Let me give you want we both want,”

The prince is whimpering at the words as Juyeon is pressing kisses against Hyunjae’s neck, each one inching closer and closer to that spot, the place where his omega _begs_ to be marked, lips hot and _burning_ against his skin. A cry escapes his lips when Juyeon is finally placing a kiss to that very spot, the feeling of his alpha’s lips pressed against the place where he wants nothing more but the alpha’s teeth in him feeling like relief but also driving him mad.

“I’m gonna make you mine forever, baby,” Juyeon is growling next to Hyunjae’s ear, and the prince writhes in pleasure, as he says, “Yes, yes, yes! Please, Juyeon, give it to me,”

A dark chuckle escapes the alpha, as he leans in, warm breath hitting the side of Hyunjae’s neck, and the omega closes his eyes in anticipation, legs squeezed together and cock rigid in his pants.

Hyunjae sits up with a start, eyes wide and chest heaving. The sound of the bell chiming outside is the only noise to be heard, as he takes in the dark room, brow soaked with sweat and it only takes a glance down to see that he came in his sleep.

 _‘A fucking wet dream? At my age?’_ Hyunjae groans, as he buries his face in his hands, tears pricking the back of his eyes. He bites on his tongue to try to stop the sobs that threaten to escape him, not even knowing _why_ he feels this way - is he frustrated? Upset? Angry? All of the above?

 _‘Calm down Hyunjae. Crying won’t solve anything - besides, it’s only a week. Get ahold of yourself, you survived for years without Juyeon - a week won’t kill you,’_ he tells himself, as he rubs his face.

_‘You’ll be fine. You can do this,’_

* * *

Juyeon frowns as he stares at the assortment of bottles in front of him, before looking back down at the paper in his hand.

Chanhee had come to get him, saying that Hyunjae had some things he asked him to bring when he comes to visit, and the omega enlisted Juyeon’s help, since he had some “things” to attend to (Juyeon just pretends he didn’t notice Sunwoo lurking near the omega like a sulky puppy when he said this, and instead was grateful for the distraction).

Most of the things were easy enough. The silk robe Hyunjae often wore after his shower, an extra toothbrush with the soft bristles for his sensitive gums, a shirt that Juyeon wore recently (Juyeon made sure to grab a few extras, just in case, since he had been reading about omegas and their nesting tendencies.)

But some of the other things on the list were a bit tricky. Which brings Juyeon to his current predicament. Shampoo.

It would be easy if Juyeon had taken the time to check which shampoo Hyunjae uses, but the fact that Chanhee needs this all done today and the palace store closes in an hour doesn’t leave Juyeon much time to run back to their chambers and check the label before coming back.

The only thing he remembers is the label was red - which really doesn’t help him, because there are at least ten different shampoos which have red labels, and he’s not sure which one is the one the omega uses.

 _‘The book did say that omegas are particularly picky about scents when they’re in heats as well,’_ Juyeon thinks to himself, lips pursing. He stares at the labels, before thinking back to all the times he fell asleep with his nose buried in Hyunjae’s hair, trying to think if the prince smelt more like cherry blossoms or mango-coconut - whatever that even means.

Juyeon uncaps the mango-coconut and takes a whiff, before immediately closing it - that definitely was not the scent he was looking for. However, it did give Juyeon an idea, which is why he’s grabbing one of each of the red labelled shampoos, and lining them up, sniffing them in turn and thinking back to his memory of what his hyung smelt like.

Some he’s quick to eliminate, like lavender, vanilla, and peppermint - while his hyung did smell sweet, none of those distinct scents were there from what Juyeon can tell, which is why after twenty minutes of smelling shampoos, Juyeon has come down to three.

Cherry blossom. Apple peach peony. And strawberry rose.

He’s not sure who’s naming these shampoos, because none of those things should smell similiar, yet the three all remind him of Hyunjae’s scent, and he’s staring at them intensely as if that would give him the answer.

(Juyeon pays no mind to the beta in the same aisle as him, who’s glancing at him strangely. He has an omega to tend to, after all.)

 _‘Think, Juyeon, think! You can’t mess up this task,’_ Juyeon tells himself, frowning as he stares at the three bottles. He’s almost ready to buy one of each and let Hyunjae decide which one he wants, when he suddenly remembers - the smell of the shampoo would’ve mixed with his own natural sweet scent, which means that he needs to factor that in.

 _‘His own scent is like… pure warmth. Warmth, and flowers, and home,’_ Juyeon thinks to himself. After smelling all three shampoos once more (as well as staring at them for another solid minute), Juyeon smiles, as he grabs the one he’s the most confident in.

 _‘This is it. I’m sure of it,’_ he thinks to himself, as he heads to the store front to pay.

(He also ignores the strange look from the cashier who had watched him stare intensely at shampoo and sniff them for over half an hour.)

* * *

It’s only day 3 of his heat, and Hyunjae wants death.

After the suppressants had kicked in, he stopped feeling like his body would melt from the inside out, and he was no longer writhing in the bed in the pure agony of wanting something to fill him up. But that didn’t mean his skin was still extremely sensitive, and the only thing he could stand wearing was a loose silk robe. And it didn’t help that he was missing his alpha extremely.

While the wave of comfort that Juyeon managed to send him touched his heart (while he didn’t know how the alpha did it, he just knew it was from him. It had Juyeon written all over it, and he could almost feel him hugging him close) he still missed being able to hug him and cuddle with him. His neck throbs at the thought and Hyunjae rubs the sensitive skin absently. His entire body is calling out for the alpha, and Hyunjae knows that once he’s able to go back to him, he’ll never take the times that Juyeon silently trails him everywhere for granted.

Hyunjae frowned as he poked at his food. His body hasn’t been responding well to food as of late, as eating too much makes him feel like he’ll vomit, and he just doesn’t feel hungry at all. But he forces himself to eat a little bit, and tries to keep himself hydrated, as Haknyeon still manages to fuss over him even from beyond the door. The omega rolls his eyes everytime the beta exclaims how little he’s eating, but he knows it’s because he cares. 

Haknyeon had come to check up on him yesterday, ensuring that Hyunjae was still alive and if he needed anything, before the beta brought up a good point; “Why did your heat start so early? Your cycles are usually fairly regular and easy to predict,” Haknyeon says and Hyunjae takes a bit longer to process what is being said, before he nods. 

“That’s a fair question - this time also feels so much _worse_ than those other times… it’s just… so _bad_ ,” Hyunjae says, his brain not in the proper state to formulate more complex words. Neither were able to come to an answer, though Haknyeon did promise he would bring it up with the physician and get back to him about it.

In the time he’s spent in what is basically a glorified cage, Hyunjae has been pondering what triggered his heat so early. He wonders if it has something to do with Juyeon - maybe having an alpha that he fancied so close to him all the time is what set his body off? Maybe it was his inner omega begging to be marked, and decided to take things into his own hands and make Hyunjae a walking alpha magnet? 

But that didn’t explain why this time was so different; he doesn’t know why that burning feeling, while subsided, still lingered in his stomach, or the lack of appetite. The same goes for how sensitive his skin is, and the restless nights of sleep that he experiences, eyes open and unseeing, and unable to fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning.

He vaguely thinks to himself how he’ll have to reschedule this week’s sessions with Dr. Song, the therapist that he had just started seeing. A shame, really, because he quite liked his sessions with the beta - she had just been able to get through to Hyunjae that it’s okay to not be okay, and it’s okay to not be perfect in their last session. 

_‘That’s just another thing this damned heat has taken from me,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself bitterly, as he tries to force himself to sleep.

He’s miserable, in short, and Hyunjae doesn’t know how he’ll be able to survive for another four days.

The prince is lying in bed, sad and miserable as he stares at the wall, when there’s a knock on the door. He can’t bring himself to say anything, nor move, especially when he hears his cousin’s voice. “Hyung, it’s Chanhee, I have your shit,” he hears, and he doesn’t make any noise. The omega, however, doesn’t seem to take the hint, and only knocks again, yelling this time.

“Hyunjae hyung, I’m coming in!” He screeches, and Hyunjae groans, curling into a tighter ball. The door opens and closes quickly, as he can hear Chanhee let out a ‘whew’ as he says, “the room smells sickeningly sweet, oh my god, I think I might vomit,”

“That makes two of us,” Hyunjae mumbles under his breath, as Chanhee walks over to the bed, and plops down on it, the paper bag rustling as he places it next to him.

“Hey, are you alive?” the younger asks, the pink haired omega, poking him with his finger. Hyunjae grunts, as he swats his cousin’s finger away. “What do you want,” he says, more like a statement than a question. Chanhee hums. “Can’t I just check up on my cousin every now and then?”

“You never do,” Hyunjae responds, and Chanhee pouts. “Okay, you got a point there. But with your alpha acting like a kicked puppy all the time, I had to do something,”

The mention of Juyeon has Hyunjae perking up. He rolls over to face his cousin, the omega picking lint off the covers of the bed when Hyunjae says, “Juyeon? How is he? Is he okay? Is he mad at me?” the omega asks, and Chanhee rolls his eyes. “He’s fine. I mean, Sunwoo tells me that he’s been really sulky - like I said, kicked puppy 24/7. Though I heard from some of the maids that he made a big fuss on the first day, going borderline feral and yelling about how he wanted to see you. Haknyeon had to calm him down, by locking him in the wine cellar until he stopped going crazy, which from then on he just started to act like his dog died or something,” Chanhee says.

Hyunjae’s heart hurts. He doesn’t want his alpha to be so upset, and while he is a bit touched that he was ready to tear the palace apart to find him, he’s also glad that he didn’t. He makes a mental reminder to thank Haknyeon for putting up with both of them during this.

The moment of silence between the two of them has Chanhee sighing, before he reaches into his pockets and hands Hyunjae something. “Here. It’s from Juyeon,” he says, and Hyunjae’s eyes widen as he takes the note. It’s just a single sheet of paper folded in half, but it feels like a lifeline to the omega.

“Thank you,” Hyunjae says, voice soft as he gazes at the sheet of paper like it’s made of gold. As much as he wants to open the paper to read it right then and there, he would rather wait till the younger omega leaves. Thankfully, Chanhee doesn’t push Hyunjae to open it then, as Chanhee waves off the gratitude. “You would do the same for me,” he mumbles, and they lapse into silence once more.

“Chanhee?” Hyunjae says after a moment of hesitation. The pink haired omega looks down at the blonde, and Hyunjae swallows when he sees the bonding mark on his neck. “Hrm?”

“How did you… what happened when Sunwoo marked you?” he asks, voice small. Chanhee is silent for a moment, before he responds. “Are you asking me how I got him to mark me?”

The prince nods, and Chanhee hums once more. It’s times like this that Hyunjae envies his cousin - despite being younger than him, Chanhee was much more street smart - socially and emotionally, Hyunjae felt as if Chanhee was more mature than him. While the two of them did tend to butt heads a lot, honestly Hyunjae thought it was because they were so similar, which is why in moments like this, he’s grateful his cousin can put up with his moodiness.

“I was actually worried he would take too long at first,” Chanhee admits, as a hand goes up to touch his own mark. “I don’t know why but I felt like as soon as I had an alpha, I would have to have him bonded to me or else he would go crazy. I mean, that’s what society makes us think, right? Alphas, they’re unruly, feral, unthinking monsters who can only be tamed by an omega. So when Sunwoo wasn’t pinning me down and marking me the first day, I thought maybe it was because I wasn’t good enough?” 

“Wait wait, hold on, are you saying on the first day you brought Sunwoo home you guys had sex?” Hyunjae asks and Chanhee levels him a look. “Well, yeah. You and Juyeon didn’t?”

“No! I- we actually only slept together like _that_ a few days ago,” Hyunjae admits, and Chanhee looks at him for a moment, before barking a laugh. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re worried over _that_ ,”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you know? Alphas usually never mark on the first time. They just don’t have the instinct to do so. It’s like, why would you want to marry someone you’re hooking up with? I mean, there’s the whole soulmate myth thing, but it never happens,”

Hyunjae’s brow furrows. His mind goes back to their first night together, how many times Juyeon almost marked him, how his mouth constantly was on his neck, leaving small love bites and lavishing it in praise. “Wait...what do you mean soulmates?”

Chanhee shrugs. “You know, the old saying that alphas and omegas have soulmates out there. Perfect halves, or some kind of bullshit like that. That they’re ‘meant for each other’ and ‘complete one another’ or something. It’s kinda like ‘you meet them and you’ll never forget about them, no matter what’ and ‘you have this urge to be with them all the time,’” Chanhee explains. Chills run up Hyunjae’s back at the younger’s words. His mind was whirling - was it possible that he and Juyeon-? No, he shouldn’t get his hopes up. While the idea is romantic, Chanhee was right; “it sounds like a load of over-romanticized un-realistic bullshit to me,” the younger omega says.

“Yeah,” Hyunjae says nervously. “Totally unrealistic…”

“Anyways, I should get going. I promised Sunwoo that we would go to town today and explore - he’s wanted to visit an ice-cream parlour for DAYS and I only have some free time today. Oh, and if you happen to hear two quick knocks followed by three slow ones...think of it like a present,” Chanhee says cryptically. Hyunjae opens his mouth to ask him what he means, but Chanhee is already heading towards the door.

Hyunjae is sitting up, as he watches Chanhee leave, pulling himself upright to look at the bag. A small smile tugs at his lips upon seeing a few shirts Juyeon likes to wear in there, but his eyebrows furrow when he sees the familiar cherry blossom scented shampoo in the bag - brand new, too, which means it wasn’t the one he had left in their bathroom. How did Chanhee know which shampoo he used?

 _‘Maybe I told him before,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he looks up at the other omega upon hearing his voice.

“Make sure to read that note! I’ll see you later hyung!” he calls, as he leaves the room.

Unbeknownst to Hyunjae, as Chanhee leaves the omega’s room, he motions over towards the door with a nod of his head to a person waiting outside, having followed the omega to the room. 

After Chanhee had closed the door behind him, Hyunjae carefully unfolded the note, heart fluttering when the woody scent of Juyeon hit his note. God, he missed his alpha so much.

_Hyunjae hyung,_

~~_I miss you so_ ~~

~~_I’m sorry for making you_ ~~

~~_I can’t wait to see you aga_ ~~

_I hope you’re doing okay. I promise I’ll make it all up to you once this is over in any way that I can - whatever you want from me, I’ll give it to you. I hope you know how much I love you and miss you with my entire heart and how much I’m thinking of you every day, in every waking moment. I’ve been doing some research about omegas and heats in whatever spare time I have to try and find anything to help ease your troubles, and I’ve been offering any solutions I find to Haknyeon (I don’t know if he actually tries any, though,) in hopes of easing you through this heat._

_I’ll be waiting patiently for you until you’re fit to return back to me, my omega. I love you to the moon and back._

_Forever and only yours_

_Your Juyeonnie_

Hyunjae’s heart races reading those words. He’s involuntarily smiling at how sweet and thoughtful his alpha is - he can’t believe that Juyeon has been in the library, studying up on how omega’s biology works.

 _‘God, I miss him so much,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he holds the letter close to his chest. He’s too busy thinking about the alpha that he almost doesn’t hear it. The two quick knocks, and three slower ones on his door.

The prince pauses at the sound. He knows Chanhee told him it was a ‘present’, but he wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

But then he hears him.

“Hyung?”

Hyunjae would recognize that voice anywhere. He immediately jumps up from the bed and runs over to the door. “Juyeonnie?”

“Hyung, it’s me,” he responds. And Hyunjae’s knees almost give out. He wants to unbolt the door and throw himself into the alpha’s arms. He wants to bury himself in his alpha’s scent, to drown in his kisses and never leave his embrace again. But both of them know that Hyunjae’s still in such a vulnerable state, being only three days into heat. And so he settles for standing in front of the door, heart pounding.

“H-how…?” Hyunjae asks and Juyeon laughs. It’s a soft, gentle one that has the omega’s heart fluttering and his hole clenching around air. God he wants Juyeon’s cock inside of him. 

“Chanhee told me to follow him. He thought it was cruel that we weren’t allowed to at least talk to each other,” Juyeon explains. Hyunjae is surprised that his cousin would do such a thing for him, but he’s touched by the action. He reminds himself to thank Chanhee later.

“I...I miss you a lot, hyung,” Juyeon murmurs, and Hyunjae can’t take it anymore. He may not be allowed to open the door, but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to at least hold the alpha’s hand. Which is why he’s sticking his arm through the slot in the door that’s wide enough for food and a few books to pass through and waves it around until Juyeon takes his hand in his. And Hyunjae is sinking to his knees to hold the alpha’s hand, heart jumping at the mere touch, and a small whimper leaving him when Juyeon crouches down as well, their eyes meeting through the small opening.

The moment Hyunjae is able to see Juyeon’s familiar eyes, his entire being feels elated. It takes everything in him to not fling the door open and hug him, the omega wanting nothing more than to embrace the familiar warm body and drown in Juyeon’s hugs.

“Juyeonnie,” Hyunjae is mumbling, and he doesn’t realize he’s crying until the tears are dripping down his face. Juyeon is smiling, as he looks at the omega, concern clear in his eyes, and Hyunjae is hastily wiping away the tears. “God, I don’t know why I’m like this, I just really missed you, fuck,” the prince says, looking at the alpha.

The blue-haired alpha smiles softly, as he shuffles closer to the slot. “I missed you too. I still miss you, even now. My beautiful hyung,” he says, thumb rubbing the back of Hyunjae’s hand softly. The omega is letting out a soft hiccup, as Juyeon let’s go of his hand to reach out and brush one of his tears away, the omega instantly latching onto the alpha’s hand and pressing his cheek against it, the mere touch of Juyeon making him leak slick.

“God, _alpha,_ ” Hyunjae moans, and Juyeon is stammering when Hyunjae presses himself closer to the alpha’s hand, the sweet smell starting to emit from him in an attempt to entice the alpha to _breed_ him. 

“Hyunjae hyung, m-maybe we shouldn’t be touching like this,” Juyeon says, and it takes everything within the omega to let go of the alpha, as he nods shakily. “Y-yeah that might be for the best.”

The two end up linking fingers through the slot, eyes flickering over each other's features, reacquainting, memorizing. Those familiar brown eyes that Hyunjae has found himself infatuated with, the cat-like lips that have placed kisses across his body, the sharpness of Juyeon’s cheekbones which Hyunjae has placed his own kisses on. Everything about Juyeon’s face brings back _memories_ , as Hyunjae gazes at him so fondly, reminiscing, committing every detail to memory.

 _‘For the next four days,’_ he thinks to himself, as he lets out a soft smile.

Juyeon is breaking the silence with a soft sigh, as he says, “I’m sorry,”

The words have Hyunjae tilting his head to the side. “For what?”

He watches as the alpha seems to struggle with words for a moment, before he shakes his head, letting out another sigh. The action makes Hyunjae want to place a reassuring kiss to his alpha’s fingers, though he’s not sure if even a chaste action such as that would be too much - any type of physical affection is dangerous when he’s in this state.

“I should’ve listened to you - I should’ve marked you when you asked me to,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae’s head, for the first time in what seems like forever (in reality, it’s been four days), clears, as he’s shaking it.

“Juyeon, baby, stop. I was being irrational asking you to do that, especially with the way I was getting worked up for _no reason_ whatsoever. If anything, I should be at fault here - I’m not sure if it’s possible, but I feel like I might’ve triggered my own heat this time around - I’m a whole month early,” Hyunjae says. Juyeon looks like he’s about to refute, when Hyunjae is cutting him off.

“Alpha, you’re not at fault. You were just trying to be a gentleman and I was over here getting worked up and worried for no reason. If anything, I should be apologizing for being so unreasonable,” Hyunjae says, with a little laugh. Juyeon seems to lighten up slightly, as he says, “But still…. I wish I could’ve helped you out or something. Heats seem terrible,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae smiles.

“You’re the sweetest alpha. I don’t deserve you,” he says, wanting to reach out and cup Juyeon’s cheek. He watches the way his alpha’s eyes widen, as he shakes his head, Juyeon going to place his other hand on top of Hyunjae’s. “What are you saying? Hyung, if anything, _I’m_ the one who’s unworthy here,” he starts and the prince laughs, shaking his head.

“Okay we are _not_ starting this right now,” he says, and smiles at the way Juyeon seems to be miffed about the fact that Hyunjae thinks he doesn’t deserve the sweetest alpha in the world. “Fine. But… is there anything I can do for you, hyung? Anything I can get you, or help you with?” 

Hyunjae is chewing on his bottom lip, as he thinks for something feasible. There’s no point in telling Juyeon he wants his heat to end early, and if he could get him that along with some chocolate cake that would be great. The alpha seems to catch onto the problem Hyunjae is having, as he begins to speak.

“You know, I’ve been doing some reading while you were gone. Mostly about omegas and heats and stuff. If you want to hear some remedies that I’ve told Haknyeon about, I could tell them to you? Maybe make a list and bring some of the items required?” Juyeon starts, and Hyunjae is perking up for two reasons.

First off, the fact that Juyeon has been doing _research_ for him has Hyunjae’s heart melting. God, he really _doesn’t_ deserve the perfect alpha - also, the thought of his alpha in the library, glasses perched on his nose, hair tousled, sleeves rolled up and shirt slightly undone, with his veiny hands on display as he flips through books - _shit_ , he really need to get himself together.

 _‘He’s so sweet and so thoughtful, god that’s so_ hot _,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. When this is all over, he’s definitely going to suck Juyeon off multiple times.

But secondly (and more importantly) his words give the prince an idea.

“This might be a long shot, but,” Hyunjae is looking at the alpha, who seems to be clinging to every syllable he says. “I’ve been feeling this burning sensation. Like, from the inside, and it’s super annoying. It won’t go away and I’ve never felt this before during my heats,” Hyunjae says, before asking, “You wouldn’t happen to know how to make it go away, would you?”

Juyeon is frowning as he shakes his head, before saying, “You know what, I can do more research and come back later with what I find! I’ve been focusing more on the common symptoms of heats, so I’m sure I can find something if I look more specifically,” the alpha says and Hyunjae is smiling.

“If you can’t find anything, it’s fine, don’t stress about me,” Hyunjae says, but he should’ve known better than to say that. Juyeon is rolling his eyes, as he say, “Hyung, it’s my _job_ to stress about you. You’re my _omega_ , the one that I love. Of course I’ll be worried when it comes to you being in pain,” Juyeon says, the words making Hyunjae blush slightly. “O-okay, but it’s totally fine if you can’t find anything about it!” he says, making Juyeon laugh.

“You’re adorable, hyung. I love you,” the alpha says, as they lapse into silence once more, gazing at each other fondly.

For a moment, Hyunjae thinks about opening the door and letting Juyeon in. His omega reminds him that male pregnancy rates are _low_ and that as long as the alpha doesn’t knot him, it should be okay. But he clamps that side of himself down, before shoving it away, as he instead sighs, and says, “You should go. If you stay here too long, your scent will become too overwhelming, especially with the way your pheromones are acting up. Haknyeon will kill us both _and_ Chanhee if he finds out you were here,” Hyunjae says.

He can tell Juyeon is about to argue, to ask for, “Just five more minutes,” before the alpha seems to realize that Hyunjae is right. “Okay. Yeah. Of course, I should...I should go. Um… hyung?”

Hyunjae looks at Juyeon and the alpha offers him a small smile. “I’ll be back. Hopefully… with some information. But I’ll be back tomorrow, and the day after. Until you’re back in my arms,” Juyeon says, and the prince can’t help the way a smile spread across his lips.

“Okay. I’ll see you then,” he says, wishing he could at least plant a kiss on the alpha’s cheek. But he’s surprised when Juyeon is pulling his hand forwards through the slot, and placing a gentle kiss on the back of his hand, eyes never leaving the omegas as he does so. And the way it makes Hyunjae’s heart flutter and his cock hardens, his scent fluctuating wildly as Juyeon pulls away leaves Hyunjae’s cheeks red and his heart pounding.

“I love you, my prince,” he can hear Juyeon’s muffled voice through the door. And Hyunjae smiles, as he responds back, “I love you more, my knight,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! Juyeon is best boy hehe and Hyunjae is just trying his best poor thing. I have to say Chanhee is one of my favourite characters in this series lmao he's so chaotic but is also the catalyst for a lot of events (I mean, Juyeon wouldn't be here without him) and his love-hate relationship with Hyunjae is one I LOVED to write haha
> 
> Anyways! Next week will have the long awaited mandatory smut scenes that all abo-heat fics have so huhu there's that to look forwards to ;)
> 
> I hope to see you all again next week, for the final of this short arc~ 
> 
> Once again, all comments and kudos are not required but most appreciated! You guys are the reason I write :)
> 
> \- Eunhae


	7. though I won't last long

Juyeon is… conflicted, to say the least.

After seeing Hyunjae, he had been filled with determination to do at least one thing to make his prince’s heat easier. Which is why after a quick stop in their shared chambers (he knew he would’ve never been able to get anything done with how agonizingly _hard_ he was - Hyunjae’s sweet scent alone when he _wasn’t_ in a heat is enough to get him half hard) he had made his way down to the library immediately.

And after searching through a few books, Juyeon had found his answer… well, at least, he had found _an_ answer.

_Intense burning sensations in omegas can be reduced by an alpha (preferably, their own alpha, or an alpha they are emotionally attached to) ejaculating in them._

Juyeon stared at that sentence for a good five minutes, before closing the book and pushing it away. His mind drifts to the possibility of coaxing Hyunjae into letting him in, before he shakes his head, throwing the idea away. No. He has no idea what he would do to the prince with him smelling like that - he would rather _die_ than hurt him.

 _‘That can’t be the only solution,’_ Juyeon thinks to himself, as he gathers up the books in his arms to return to the shelves. _‘There’s at least fifty books here - I’ll go through all of them if I have to,’_

Which is why when he returned to Hyunjae the next day, he lied between his teeth, saying, “I haven’t found anything yet - but I’ll keep looking,”

Of course, his lovely prince insisted that it would be _fine_ if there was no solution to it, but Juyeon could see it in his eyes - the burning didn’t seem to be going away, in fact, their chat had to be ended earlier than the day before because Hyunjae’s entire insides were just too _hot_.

“Baby, you’re burning up,” Juyeon says, worried. He’s only touching the prince’s hand, but he feels a bit too warm to the touch. A glance at his face has Juyeon noticing the way sweat has the tips of his hair wet, sticking to his face.

“Yeah… today is worse than the past few days for some reason,” Hyunjae says, trying to laugh, but only looking more pained. It hurts Juyeon to know that he technically does have an answer, but he clamps down on it, as Hyunjae shakes his head. “It’s nothing I can’t handle… I’ll probably go sit in some cold water after this to try and reduce the heat,”

And the feeling of guilt that Juyeon is left with as he leaves only spurs him to try and find an alternate answer as fast as possible.

He’s gone through almost all the books, at this point, and every one that does mention burning has the same solution in every single one of them. 

_‘I can’t believe there’s ten remedies to solve for sensitive skin, nine for swelling, and at least fifteen for acne, yet there’s only one for burning,’_ Juyeon thinks to himself, huffing as he shuts this book as well. He shakes his head, glancing up at the clock, before standing up. He’s been at this for hours, now - he could use some fresh air.

He finds himself going out to the practice yards, where he spends what free time that he’s not in the library sparring with other guards to practicing other skills. He’s gotten better at the bow and arrow over time - he can actually hit the board now, which is a huge improvement from before where his arrows would end up who knows where.

Juyeon thinks briefly about maybe horseback riding, or going for a jog, but he’s not in the mood. Instead, he sits at one the many benches in the shade, quietly watching the world go by.

His mind is so occupied with his dilemma, that he startles when he hears, “Oh, Juyeon!” and he's looking up to see Hoseok, the guard that Hyunjae had sparred with a few weeks prior, and his mate, Yoongi, following close behind.

The alpha had gotten to know Hoseok through his time training with the guard - while Yoongi was also apart of the royal guard, he was much harder to talk to, with the way the shorter man radiated an intimidating aura that Juyeon definitely would’ve thought he was an alpha, had he not seen the way he smiled and joked with Hoseok, the tiger-like man turning into a kitten the moment his mate was involved.

“Hi, hyung,” he says, scooting over automatically when he sees both of the men coming to sit next to him. “What’cha doing?” the younger of the two betas ask, as Yoongi only nods at Juyeon silently.

The alpha sighs, as he shakes his head. “Trying to clear the brain. I’ve been in the library for the past few hours, and I just needed some fresh air,” he says, and Hoseok nods, sympathetic. “I feel you; that library really needs to get some windows aside from the skylights - it feels like a prison made up of books,” Hoseok says, and while Juyeon doesn’t quite feel the same way about the library (he finds it quite nice, actually. Being surrounded by the books is very peaceful, for him at least.) he doesn’t have the energy to argue, so he only nods.

Maybe it’s because he’s desperate, or perhaps it’s the musty smell of old books clouding his better judgement, but he’s unable to stop the way the next words tumble out of his mouth. “Hey, you guys wouldn’t happen to know how to get an omega in a heat to stop feeling like he’s burning?”

He’s about to retract the statement instantly, seeing as how both men are betas who don’t seem to have a lot of experience dating anyone else but each other (as Hoseok had volunteered this information only a few days prior during practice,) but he’s pleasantly surprised when Yoongi snorts, the short man saying, “Yeah, by getting an alpha to come in them,”

Juyeon hadn’t expected such a blunt response, and chokes on his spit as a result, coughing as Hoseok looks at his mate in shock. “How do _you_ know that?”

Yoongi seems amused as he watches Juyeon coughing, before turning to his mate and waving a hand. “Taehyung,”

Once Juyeon’s recovered, he’s wheezing out, “Who’s Taehyung? Isn’t there another way?” as he clears his throat, his face a bit red. Yoongi doesn’t seem bothered as he examines his short nails, saying, “Taehyung’s my cousin on my mother’s side. He’s an omega, and he went through that whole ‘burning’ ordeal for almost an entire year, because he was so fucking _oblivious_ ,”

Hoseok, who seems intrigued now, asks, “What do you mean by that?” Yoongi is shaking his head, as he says, “Jungkook, Taehyung’s mate, had been courting that brat for almost six months. The two of them were of course, a match made in heaven, but Taehyung insisted that Jungkook 'wasn’t serious,' when it was clear he was head over heels for him,” Yoongi says, using air quotes to emphasize his point.

“Anyways, apparently that burning happens when an omega’s ‘one true mate’ is nearby, and he needs said alpha’s cum to put out the flames,” Yoongi says nonchalantly. “After Taehyung and Jungkook got mated, Tae’s never had a problem like that again. Well, especially since Jungkook is _more_ than happy to take care of his heat,” Yoongi says.

While Hoseok is busy making a gagging noise, saying something along the lines of, “I did _not_ need to know that about them,” Juyeon’s mind is whirling. He had been so busy looking for ways to cure the burning that he had no idea why it happened.

“What do you mean by… ‘one true mate’?” Juyeon asks, interrupting Yoongi’s snickering and Hoseok’s mock pout. Yoongi looks at him before shrugging. “You know. That story mothers tell their children, how they have some ‘other half’ out there,” he says, and Hoseok interrupts when Juyeon’s face remains blank.

“See, Juyeon, you know a bond between an alpha and an omega is special, yes?” Hoseok asks and Juyeon nods. “Well, sometimes bonds are stronger and weaker, depending on how compatible they are. Sometimes, the bonds are so strong, that they can even allow for telepathic communication, if it’s fostered and practiced. But the strongest bond is between an alpha and an omega who are, well, essentially _soulmates_. That’s what Yoongi is trying to get at here,” Hoseok explains, and Juyeon is pausing.

 _‘Soulmates,’_ he thinks to himself. The word conjures up an image of Hyunjae, smiling so gently with that soft laugh coming from his lips and honey blonde hair cutely ruffled as Juyeon held him in his arms. It’s only for a split second, but Juyeon can feel it. 

_Soulmates_.

“Anyways, yeah Jungkook and Taehyung were soulmates, I guess,” Yoongi says, and shrugs. “It’s super rare, apparently - so rare that Taehyung only found out _after_ they got mated what the reason and solution was for the burning,” Yoongi says. “He had gone to a shit ton of people for advice, and the only way to get rid of the burning is through the semen,”

Hoseok is making a face, as he whacks Yoongi, saying, “Do you _have_ to phrase it like that?” as Juyeon falls silent. _Shit_. He hadn’t anticipated that _that_ was the only way to get rid of the burning.

He leaves the couple soon after, thanking them for their advice, as he goes back to their chambers, lying on the bed silently for a bit. The phantom scent of Hyunjae still lingers, as Juyeon thinks about his options, wondering what he can even do for the omega in this situation.

* * *

Juyeon can’t believe he’s about to do this. But it’s to make Hyunjae feel better, and this is the only way to make the burning go away so...he takes a deep breath and walks over to the door.

The halls are dark at this time of the night, and he half hopes Hyunjae wouldn’t be up. But when he knocks twice and then three times, he can hear the omega going towards the door.

“Juyeonnie?” He asks, and Juyeon lets out a soft noise in return. “Hyung,” he responds, bending down to look through the opening. The omega is already on his knees, looking through the slot, and Juyeon gulps as he says “I figured out how to make the burning go away,” he mumbled.

Hyunjae’s eyes brighten and Juyeon knows he’s gonna be doing what he planned whether he likes it or not. Because that bright look of hope has him done for.

“What is it?” He asks and the alpha is letting out a soft breath. “Um...the books I was reading were saying that the intense burning is only around when the omega has bonded with another alpha...and the only way to get rid of it is if the alpha they’ve bonded with...ejaculates into them.”

There’s a beat of silence. Hyunjae’s eyes are blinking at him, and his cheeks are colouring. “Oh,” he says and Juyeon scratches the back of his head. “I...I thought of a way to do this without actually opening the door but,” he fiddled with the sleeves of his shirt. “It’s not going to be the most elegant thing,”

“What did you have in mind?” Hyunjae asks, and Juyeon licks his lips, and he looks at the omega. He has such wide curiosity, and Juyeon can feel his pants already tight from the mere scent of his omega, ripe for taking, sweeter than the finest, and in a heat.

So instead of responding he stands up and unbuckles his belt, and pulls out his cock which is half hard, before inserting it into the slot.

And Hyunjae is stunned into silence at the sight of his alpha’s huge cock, half hard already, but looking so delicious. His mind instantly understands, and he doesn’t waste time before he moving forwards, and wrapping his warm hand around the shaft, eliciting a surprised moan from the alpha.

“Oh Juyeon, you’re such a good alpha for me,” Hyunjae purrs as he strokes the organ. He can hear the alpha from the other side of the door trying to muffle his moans as Hyunjae continues to stroke him. Because of the door, Juyeon is unable to see the omega which has every touch being a surprise, and he chokes on a moan when he feels the tip of the omega’s tongue being dragged along the side of his cock.

“Will you fill up my belly with your cum, alpha? Knot my mouth and force me to drink all of your cum until I can’t anymore?” Hyunjae says, and while both of them know that Juyeon actually knotting Hyunjae’s mouth would probably be uncomfortable for both of them, the thought is still hot.

And the omega is getting comfortable on his knees as he leans in to take the alpha’s large girth into his mouth, sucking on the tip while he strokes the base of the length, and moans as he goes down on him. He can feel his hole leaking slick, as the omega in him begs for the alpha’s cock inside of him, spearing him open and fucking him roughly. But he pushes the thought away as he continues to suck the alpha’s big cock, taking more and more of the alpha into his throat, spit making a mess of his face.

“Oh, shit, fuck, hyung, your mouth is so good, fuck,” Juyeon is whispering out, voice strained. Hyunjae moans, as he tries to take the alpha deeper, before pulling off and going back to licking along the sides. Juyeon’s cock is fully erect at this point, standing tall and long, the alpha’s large length making Hyunjae want to impale himself on it. And he gets an idea, which has him saying, “Hold on a second,” before getting up and dragging over one of the tables.

Juyeon is confused at the noise, but it’s not a moment later that Hyunjae is sucking him off again, and he forgets about it, veins in his neck sticking out as he tries not to moans out loud, knuckles white as he grabs at the door. God, he wishes he could bury his fingers in the prince’s soft hair, and look at how pretty his lips would look around his cock. He would tell the omega how pretty he is, and how his lips were made for sucking cock - but he saves the words for later as he instead whispers, “Hyung, shit, I’m gonna come soon,”

Hyunjae lets out a delighted noise before speeding up. He bobs his head up and down his length, tongue swirling around the head of the organ, before swallowing around the tip, and moaning on the length, wanting nothing more than the alpha to come into his mouth. He’s stroking his own small dick as he eagerly chokes on the alpha, coaxing him closer and closer to the edge, before Juyeon is letting out a muffled moan, hips stuttering forwards as he comes, hot liquid coursing down the omega’s throat.

And Hyunjae eagerly drinks it all up, the musky and salty taste of his alpha’s cum coating his tongue as he sucks every last drop from him. Juyeon’s load is always big, and he savours the taste of his hot sperm in his mouth, before swallowing it down, moaning as he does so. He only lets the alpha’s cock drop from his mouth after he’s sure he’s licked him clean of any remaining cum.

Strangely enough, Hyunjae does feel the heat die down inside of him. But one look at Juyeon’s still erect cock has the omega moaning. He knows that the alpha is probably affected by his scent, along with the fact he hasn’t knotted him, which means he’s got at least a few more orgasms in him before he goes soft.

So before Juyeon can remove his cock from the slot, Hyunjae is leaning against the desk he dragged over, and grabbing Juyeon’s cock before guiding it into his hole.

The action has both of them moaning, Hyunjae’s hole tender and sensitive from his heat, and Juyeon in surprise. He has no ideas his omega would try this.

There aren’t any words needed between them. Juyeon’s hips automatically start moving, the thrusts rough and needy unlike the first time they had sex, and Hyunjae loves it. Each thrust is pushing him up the table, and while he’s sad he’s unable to feel the full length of the alpha inside of him, he figures this will do until tomorrow.

“F-fuck, alpha, please, yes, I want you to come in me,” Hyunjae begs, pushing his ass back against the door. He’s moaning heavily as he tries to take more of the alpha’s cock inside his tight heat, thighs soaked with slick, and little cock hard as a rock. Juyeon curses, as he continues to pound into him, the only sound in the hallway being his loud breathing and the sound of his balls hitting the door.

Hyunjae is crying out as he lets a hand go down to touch himself. He’s giving his weeping cock hard, no-nonsense strokes to add to the sensation, wishing that Juyeon was here to swat his hand away and plow into him harder, or take his cock in his own big hand, but this will have to do for now. Hyunjae screws his eyes shut as he rests his head on the desk, imagining that Juyeon is hovering behind him, big hand resting on the curve of his ass as he takes him thoroughly.

“Hng, hyung, you’re so tight,” Juyeon whispers and Hyunjae’s breathing is ragged as he nods, despite the alpha not being able to see him. “Only for you, alpha, I’m always tight for you,” he babbles, not really thinking and just wanting Juyeon marking him up inside.

The prince is alternating between jerking himself off and touching his stomach, caressing the bump of the alpha as Juyeon continues to just pump into him, the action rough and fast as both of them just blindly chase their orgasm. And Hyunjae’s breathing hitches when he feels the alpha’s cock brush slightly against his prostate, the feeling enough for Hyunjae to start coming, his cock spurting white cum across the floor, his insides tightening. But the omega isn’t sated in the slightest as he pushes back against Juyeon’s thick length.

“Hnng alpha, please, I need more,” Hyunjae begs, and Juyeon, only slightly phased by the omega’s lack of a recovery time, is grunting in response, his hips moving to please his prince. The walls of pure ecstasy that Hyunjae is letting out only fuel the alpha, as he grips the door handle tightly, wishing for nothing more than to see the beautiful slope of his omega’s back, to touch his skin, to _mark_ him.

“Baby, I can’t knot you today,” Juyeon says, reminding both himself and the prince. Even if Hyunjae’s on suppressants, Juyeon doesn’t want to risk it, especially knowing that the omega is in no way able to think rationally now. The words have Hyunjae whining, but he doesn’t resist, only saying, “Please give me more of your cum inside of me,”

And Juyeon is slamming into the omega on out a few more times, before unloading himself once more into the omega, Hyunjae crying out in pleasure as he comes once more as well, a puddle of his cum gathering on the floor. The omega is wiggling his ass to ensure every drop of Juyeon’s cum is filling him up, the omega moaning obscenely with the way his ass is pressed against the door.

Juyeon is pulling out after a moment, his cock still stiff, and he curses at the sight before him; of Hyunjae’s hole filled with Juyeon’s cum, clenching pathetically around air.

“Alpha,” the omega moans, Hyunjae still touching himself on the other side of the door. “I don’t want to lose any of your cum, please,” he whines, and Juyeon is the watching the way the pearly liquid drips out of Hyunjae’s ass, eyes narrowed at the undeniable hot image before him, before he’s reaching forwards to swipe the cum up and back into the omega’s hole.

“Such a messy baby. Should I give you some more to make sure you have enough to keep you through the night?” Juyeon asks, and the omega is nodding, despite the alpha being unable to see him. “Yes! Yes, yes, yes, please I need it, please,” the omega begs, and Juyeon is smiling devilishly, before sinking into Hyunjae’s heat without a warning.

The prince moans louds, eyes rolling back and toes curling at the feel of Juyeon’s thick cock brushing against his sensitive nerve endings. God, he loves having Juyeon’s dick inside of him, filling him up so well and stretching his insides. The omega is giving himself quick, no nonsense jerks of his own cock, as the alpha begins to move again, each thrust deep and drawn out.

Unlike the previous time, Juyeon’s thrusts are slow and deep seated, letting the prince feel every inch of him as the alpha pulls out until only the tip is left in him, only to slam home, deeper than before. The feeling is exhilarating, as the omega is left feeling empty, and then suddenly full, over and over and over again.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, Juyeonnie, oh my god, I fucking, oh my god,” Hyunjae is loosing his mind, mouth open as he continues to touch himself, the omega hardly realizing that he had reached his orgasm once more, with the way he was so focused on how Juyeon’s cock dove in and out of him.

“God, you’re so good, always so good to me, my omega,” Juyeon says, voice low as he grinds himself deep inside of Hyunjae. The prince is crying out, hands and thighs shaking with pleasure as he just doesn’t know what to do with himself. His entire body is alight with pure, unaltered _pleasure_ , every one of his nerves on fire with the way Juyeon is stretching him in just the way he craves. His body feels so light, so weightless, that he just lies there, spread across the table and pushing his ass back against the slot as hard as possible in an attempt to get as much of Juyeon’s cock into him.

“I’ll fill you up until you can’t take anymore,” Juyeon promises, drawing his length out of the omega slowly, relishing in the loud moan that Hyunjae is letting out. Each movement has both of them moaning, Hyunjae’s hole more sensitive than ever, and Juyeon wanting nothing more than to _breed_ the prince.

“Please, alpha, please, I need it, please,” Hyunjae is begging. The heat burning him inside has gone down significantly - at this point, he’s just desperate for Juyeon, for the alpha to continue touching him, to continue pleasuring him, to continue giving his body what he’s been craving ever since he went into a heat that morning a week ago.

“Shhh, I’ll give it to you baby, I’ll give you what you need,” Juyeon hushes the omega, as he begins to move slightly quicker. Hyunjae is moaning, thighs trembling and eyes rolling back as he just lies there, letting Juyeon use him to his own needs, the omega’s body just so _accepting_ of whatever the alpha chooses to give to him. 

Juyeon’s hips move fast, going back to the quick, shallow thrusts from before, chasing his orgasm as Hyunjae cries out in pleasure from the other side of the door, his cock weakly jumping at the movement inside of him. His body trembles, feeling so overwhelmed, yet at the same time, feeling like he needs _more_.

“Juyeon, alpha, fuck, you’re so big, oh my god,” Hyunjae babbles incoherently as the alpha continues to use his hole, the omega feeling so exhausted but also wanting more. It’s a confusing contradiction; a mess of feelings that leaves him only laying there, his inner omega content at the fact he has his own alpha touching him.

“Fuck, hyung, I’m gonna come again, god,” he can hear Juyeon’s strained voice, slightly muffled, and Hyunjae is moaning, perking his ass up slightly as if to coax the alpha to fill him up faster. “Come on, alpha, give me everything,” he begs, his hand dropping between his legs to touch his own cock.

And Juyeon is speeding up, thrusts hard and rough as he pounds into Hyunjae, the obscene noise of wet skin hitting wet skin filling the otherwise silent hallway, as the alpha’s hips stutter forwards as he releases into the willing omega, Juyeon trying his best to muffle his own moan as he spills into the omega’s hole.

Hyunjae is moaning contentedly, not even noticing how the mere act of being filled has caused him to reach his own peak, his cock squirting out mostly water at this point, his entire body feeling sore, used, and the prince loves it.

They stay like that for a moment, Juyeon’s softening cock buried deep inside of Hyunjae’s ass, the two of them just breathing heavily as they slowly come back to their senses, 

Finally, Hyunjae is forced out of his lust induced stupor when Juyeon is pulling out of him, the action making the omega whine.

“Ngh, feel so empty,” Hyunjae whines, and Juyeon is letting out a husky laugh, as Hyunjae just allows himself to drop to the floor, legs feeling like jelly. He’s making eye contact with Juyeon through the little slot, as the alpha is zipping up his pants, before crouching in front of the opening, eyes soft on the prince.

Hyunjae loves how Juyeon’s cheeks are flushed from exertion, sweat painting his neck, yet that post-orgasm _glow_ lighting him up. A deep sense of satisfaction settles in Hyunjae’s gut - that he was the cause of that, that he was able to make his other half feel so good.

“I better leave so that Haknyeon doesn’t smell me when he comes to get you,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae sighs as he nods. “Yeah. I...I should probably clean up here too,” Hyunjae says, glancing down at himself. His thighs are caked with slick and semen, and the floor is covered in his own cum as well, not to mention the fact that the desk he dragged over has multiple scratch marks on it, along with some of Hyunjae’s bodily fluids decorating it as well. The prince groans, wanting nothing more than to sleep.

“God, I wish I could help you baby,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae gives him a small smile. “You’ve done so much for me already, Juyeonnie. You should go and rest - I’ll see you tomorrow baby,” Hyunjae says, and the alpha is letting out a breath as he stares at him.

“I- okay. Right. I...I love you, hyung. A lot.” He says, reaching out to caress Hyunjae’s cheek. The omega smiles, holding the alpha’s hand against his face. “I love you too, my Juyeonnie. I love you more than you’ll ever know,” 

Juyeon’s eyes are so soft as he laughs, shaking his head. “That’s impossible, because I love you the _most_ ,” the words making Hyunjae laugh. “I wish I could hug you right now,” he says and the alpha shakes his head. “Me too. God, I’ll see you soon, okay?” He says and Hyunjae nods. “Okay. Right. I’ll...I’ll see you soon,” 

It takes everything in him to let Juyeon go, the alpha pressing a gentle kiss to his knuckles as he slowly leaves. Hyunjae clamps down on the emptiness that he feels being left alone after such an intimate moment, but shakes himself out of it. He better get to work, cleaning both the room and himself up.

The prince is moving the table over to the wall, before running into the bathroom, letting out a sound of relief in finding a roll of paper towel under the sink.

As he cleans both the desk and the floor, he realizes that the burning is practically gone - Juyeon really was right, after all; he doesn’t even feel a little bit bothered by any of the usual burning and headaches that would make his brain a bit fuzzy. 

_‘I guess that’s good,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself. 

It doesn’t take long for him to clean the area up, tossing all the used paper towels into the garbage, as he goes to the bathroom, determined to take the quickest shower possible before sleeping. He hangs his silk robe up on the back of the bathroom door as he turns the water on, and catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

Despite the limited access to each other, Hyunjae definitely looks like he just got fucked. His cheeks are still slightly red, eyes half lidded and his ass slightly red from the force of the alpha’s hips hitting his butt over and over again. Cum and slick cake his inner thighs and his ass, and while the prince would usually be disgusted, he can’t help but feel _satisfied._

 _‘God, what am I thinking? This is gross, fuck I need to wash this shit off,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, shaking his head. _‘Stupid heat,’_

Though even as he washes himself, Hyunjae can’t deny the fact multiple whimpers left his mouth at the feeling of Juyeon’s cum dribbling out of his ass, his hole clenching around air as he tried his best to keep as much of the alpha’s seed inside of him as he washed his thighs and nether regions. 

That night, Hyunjae throws himself into bed close to 3 AM, limbs feeling like jelly, eyelids heavy as lead, yet feeling better than he has in the past week. 

_‘I miss you, alpha,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he drifts off to sleep atop his bed, hair still wet and clothed only in his silk robe. 

The omega is ignorant to the fact that across the palace, an alpha lays awake into the early hours of the day, unable to sleep without his omega beside him. 

_‘Just a few hours. And then I can have him back with me,’_

* * *

The next day, Juyeon is awake at the crack of dawn, eagerly awaiting for his omega to come back to him - and despite the fact the sun has barely risen, despite the fact that he hardly got a wink of sleep the night before, Juyeon is letting out the largest sigh of relief when he sees Hyunjae stumble into their room, Haknyeon helping the tired omega.

And immediately, he’s taking the older man into his arms, Hyunjae letting the alpha just sweep him up, his eyes only half open and bleary with sleep, as Juyeon carries the prince to their bed, curling up under the covers with him.

“Juyeonnie?” Hyunjae lets out, eyes cracking open as he looks up at him. The alpha smiles, as he shushes him, placing the softest of kisses to the omega’s forehead. “Sleep, baby. We can talk more after you’re rested,” he says, reassuring.

“‘S not a dream, is it?” Hyunjae asks, and Juyeon chuckles, warmth spreading through his body. “If it is a dream, it’s a good one,” Juyeon responds, and Hyunjae hums, as he snuggles closer to the alpha, fingers entwining in his shirt.

Hyunjae still smells so _sweet_. It’s not as pungent as before, yet the sweetness of his scent clings to his body still, and Juyeon’s heart aches seeing him so _tired_. He’s aware of the fact that omega’s body’s work overtime while they're in their heat - which is why all their senses get dialled to ten, why their body temperature sky-rockets, why they’re so tired all the time. Though the information doesn’t help to soothe Juyeon’s anxieties much, as he watches the prince drift off to sleep.

The weight of the omega in his arms, however, has his alpha content. Having Hyunjae safe in his arms is putting a smile on his face, and Juyeon can’t help the way he’s pressing his lips to the side of Hyunjae’s head, breathing in the scent of the omega, as he laces their fingers together. Perhaps it’s because he’s delirious from lack of sleep, or the night before that’s calmed him down significantly, but instead of the immense joy he thought he’d feel after being reunited, it’s a soft, simmering feeling of _comfort_ and _rightness_ at having Hyunjae back with him.

A soft sigh leaves his lips. God, his hyung is gorgeous - every meaning of the word is just _Hyunjae_ , from the delicate slope of his nose, to the soft pinkness of his lips - beautiful, stunning, ethereal, _gorgeous_.

His body is telling him to sleep, to rest up so when his prince awakens they can catch up, spend the next few days together as Hyunjae recovers from his heat, but his heart is keeping him awake as he stares at his beautiful omega, his _soulmate_.

The words have Juyeon’s heart stuttering, as he stares at Hyunjae once more. _Soulmate_.

Something inside Juyeon jumps at the thought. _Soulmate_. The words seem so _right_ when paired with his Hyunjae hyung, and he loves the thought.

 _‘It can’t be,’_ Juyeon thinks to himself, sweeping some hair out of his prince’s face. He just stares at him, mind whirling, yet also, completely blank at the same time. _Soulmates_.

“I should sleep,” Juyeon says out loud to himself, as he shakes his head, closing his eyes and sinking down to get comfortable next to Hyunjae. The omega is turned in towards him, and Juyeon mirrors him; their hand entwined between them, as Hyunjae’s free hand loosely holds Juyeon’s shirt in his grasp, the alpha letting his other hand to rest comfortably on Hyunjae’s hip, eyes tracing over him, head full of _Hyunjae_ as he slowly, drifts to sleep.

 _‘I love him. I love him more than anything in this world, I am completely and totally enamoured by him, my prince, my hyung, my_ soulmate. _’_

Unbeknownst to either of them, their matching bracelets which sit on the bedside table seem to sparkle every so slightly in the sun, the white and black stones seeming to echo the sentiment.

* * *

When Hyunjae awakes he is convinced he must still be dreaming, because the familiar warmth against his back, the feeling of that large hand pressed against his stomach and the smell of _Juyeon_ filling his senses can’t be real. He lets out a sigh as he presses back into the familiar feeling, determined to enjoy this dream until he’s being brought back to reality, before the foggy memory of being dragged out of his own bed half asleep and half clothed and pushed into Juyeon’s arms comes rushing back to him.

And Hyunjae’s eyes are widening as he sits up, looking around the room to see that this is indeed their shared chambers, eyes spotting his sword still sheathed and in its scabbard leaning against the wall, the familiar balcony and Juyeon’s file still sitting on his desk where he had left it when he confessed everything.

A feeling of relief washes over Hyunjae, as he realizes he no longer feels like he might die from the burning inside of him, and that regular fabrics don’t make him feel like he wants to claw off his skin anymore. And then his head is reminding him of _Juyeon_ , and his head is whipping to the side to spot the alpha lying beside him, still asleep with his hand in Hyunjae’s lap, and looking like an adorable _kitten_.

The prince is pressing his lips together to restrain the sound of relief that threatens to leave him - he doesn’t want to wake Juyeon, not after everything that the alpha’s done for him, but at the same time, he can’t wait to be able to just _kiss him senseless_ , because he’s missed him so much, and god, Juyeon is the best alpha.

 _‘He’s really the sweetest,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, smiling softly. _‘I missed him so much,’_

And in the stillness of the morning, the sun filtering through the curtains, Hyunjae traces his eyes over Juyeon over and over again, biting his bottom lip at the way his skin seems to _glow_ in the morning light, the younger’s pout so adorable to Hyunjae that his heart _hurts_. He’s never really gotten a chance to see Juyeon sleeping, since the alpha is usually the one waking Hyunjae up with kisses, but seeing him curled up next to him like a big kitten is honestly the softest thing Hyunjae’s been able to witness.

He’s smiling to himself slightly, as he resists the urge to ruffle Juyeon’s inky blue hair, before wondering how exactly he’s going to re-insert himself into Juyeon’s arms without disturbing him, before he sees the alpha’s face scrunch up in a frown, and his eyes are sliding open.

“Good morning,” Hyunjae says, quietly. Juyeon is staring at him for a moment, their eyes just looking at one another, before the alpha is letting out a breath. “Good morning, hyung,”

The words break the silence, and Hyunjae can’t help the way a cut-off whine leaves his throat as he practically throws himself at the alpha, hugging him tightly as Juyeon catches him, hugging him back, the two both burying their noses in each other’s skin, a whirlwind of emotions going through Hyunjae.

“I missed you so damn much, fuck,” Hyunjae says, rubbing his face against the soft material of Juyeon’s t-shirt, loving how his strong arms feel around him, how his firm chest feels against him.

“I missed you more hyung, this bed is too big and too empty without you,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae lets out a small laugh, as he pulls away just enough to look at the alpha, lips quirking up into a smile at the way Juyeon’s eyes twinkle as he gazes at him.

“You’re the sweetest alpha,” Hyunjae says, voice barely above a whisper, and Juyeon is smiling, his ears red, knowing what Hyunjae is referring to. The alpha only responds by saying, “I’m just trying to make up for everything,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae rolls his eyes fondly, before saying, “You have nothing to ‘make up’ for,” before capturing the younger’s lips in a kiss.

And Juyeon is letting out a soft moan, as Hyunjae is leaning into the kiss, the alpha’s hand going to his waist, as they kiss each other like they’re trying to memorize each sensation. The softness of Juyeon’s lips against his, the taste of him against his tongue, the way Juyeon’s kisses are always the right amount of passion, gentleness and pure _love_. Hyunjae feels like he could die just _kissing_ him and he would be happy.

“Did Haknyeon find out?” Juyeon asks between kisses, and Hyunjae is giggling as he responds, “I don’t know and I don’t care,” he says, pulling Juyeon into another kiss. Hyunjae’s fingers have found home in Juyeon’s hair, pulling slightly at the alpha's hair as he kisses him, Juyeon’s big hands slipping under Hyunjae’s shirt to touch his warm skin, still around his waist.

“God, I never want to be parted from you like that again,” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae nods. “Same here,” he breathes out, as they part from one another just enough to talk. Juyeon is still looking at Hyunjae like he’s his most precious thing, and Hyunjae is blushing slightly, as he clears his throat.

“So. When will you finally mark me, then?” Hyunjae asks, and Juyeon is looking at him, eyes searching. Hyunjae only returns the look hoping to appear serious about it, holding Juyeon’s stare. He’s about half a second away from guilt tripping Juyeon into at least setting a date, before Juyeon is smiling softly, interlacing their fingers.

“I guess we should probably get started on that, huh?” Juyeon says, and Hyunjae is rolling his eyes. “You _better!_ I refuse to go through another week of _hell_ by myself,” Hyunjae says, crossing his arms. Juyeon chuckles, as he smiles fondly at Hyunjae, thumb rubbing against the older’s hand fondly.

“When does my prince wish for it to happen?” Juyeon asks, smiling, and Hyunjae has to bite his lip to stop the huge grin that threatens to appear on his face at the adorable way Juyeon looks at him. He opens his mouth to say something else, but is interrupted by a yawn. The excitement he had felt from being reunited with Juyeon is slowly dying out to let Hyunjae know just how _exhausted_ he still is - and Hyunjae doesn’t even need to say anything for Juyeon to start fretting over him.

“You’re still tired, aren’t you hyung? You should get some more sleep - wait, actually no, you should eat something first and then sleep! You haven’t been eating proper meals, have you? You feel lighter since the last time I held you,” Juyeon says all in one big breath as he's moving to get out of the bed. Hyunjae lets out a tired laugh, as he watches the alpha tuck him in, trying to get him to lie down once more.

“I’m fine, Juyeonnie, no need to worry,” Hyunjae says, but he can’t hide the way another yawn threatens to overtake him. Juyeon’s brow is furrowing, and he opens his mouth to say something else, when Hyunjae is cutting him off. “I’ll be fine. Nothing a little bit of cuddling with my favourite alpha and sleep can’t fix,” Hyunjae says, opening his arms. Juyeon frowns, but complies, as he crawls back into bed, letting Hyunjae cling to him. “You still should eat something, baby,” he says and Hyunjae is burying his face in Juyeon’s chest.

“Later,” he says, not really feeling like eating. The post-heat tiredness is too overwhelming at the moment, and all he wants is to sleep for another few hours while Juyeon just holds him. “Can we talk about this marking stuff later?”

“Of course,” Juyeon says, smiling gently. Hyunjae feels the younger plant a soft kiss to the crown of his head, and his eyes drift shut as he lets himself fall back into the comforting arms of darkness once more.

* * *

The following days are the epitome of mundane. Haknyeon doesn’t seem to know what happened on that last fateful day of Hyunjae’s heat (and Hyunjae would like to keep it that way; he’s not sure if the beta is playing dumb or he actually doesn’t know, but he really doesn’t want to explain to him how and what happened), as he talks to Hyunjae the next time the prince is conscious to let him know that his schedule has been cleared for the upcoming week.

“Of course, that just means the week after is _packed_ ,” Haknyeon says casually, and Hyunjae groans. He’s sitting propped up in bed as Juyeon is beside him, the alpha insisting on feeding him because apparently, it’s supposed to be therapeutic for both the alpha and omega post-heat (at least, that was Juyeon read in one of the many books during Hyunjae’s heat).

“You have your usual meetings and such, but also we have wedding preparations to look forward to! Some things will be quick, just your input here and there, but other things I’ll need to steal both you and Juyeon away for,” Haknyeon says, flipping through the binder he has in his hands. Hyunjae is letting out a sigh, as Juyeon is forcing another spoonful of soup into his mouth, the omega accepting it begrudgingly. 

“Remind me why we have to have a wedding again? Once Juyeon bites me, isn’t that more official than marriage anyways?” Hyunjae says, and Haknyeon looks at him, exasperated. “You _know_ why you two need to have a wedding. Royalty weddings are mandatory,” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae frowns. “Chanhee didn’t have a wedding,”

Haknyeon waves a hand. “He’ll have one eventually. A smaller one, probably, but eventually. Besides, don’t you wanna show off Juyeon to the world?” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae turns to look at the alpha instinctively. The younger is looking at him, his eyes still holding all the stars in them, and Hyunjae feels his heart skip a beat when Juyeon smiles, that adorable eye smile making an appearance. 

He’s automatically opening his mouth, letting the alpha feed him another spoonful of the soup he got the cooks to make to ‘restore his energy faster’. Haknyeon has a point - he does want to tell the world that Juyeon is _his,_ to show off what a wonderful mate he has. But at the same time...weddings are such a _hassle_.

Juyeon, thankfully, seems to understand, because as Hyunjae is chewing, he says, “I think what hyung means is that weddings are stressful - they take so much planning and preparation, which is just added work onto his already very full plate,” the alpha says and Hyunjae nods, pointing at the younger. “He knows what’s up,” Hyunjae says, before looking at the alpha. “This is one of the many reasons why I love you,”

Haknyeon is rolling his eyes as Juyeon plants a kiss on Hyunjae's cheek, the omega smiling contentedly, and letting the alpha put another spoonful of the soup into his mouth. “Sadly, you don’t have much say in whether or not you have a wedding. It’s happening,” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae frowns. He scowls at the beta, as if that would change anything, though he knows this is just one of those things that ‘must be done’.

“In relation to the wedding, however, we have some guests coming in the next few months,” Haknyeon says, flipping through his binder he’s holding. Hyunjae boredly opens his mouth as Juyeon scoops up some of the fish and rice that had also been prepared for him, robotically chewing after the food is placed into his mouth. 

“While most of them aren’t that interesting, a certain Kevin Moon is scheduled to come by sometime before your wedding to paint the wedding portrait,” Haknyeon starts, looking at Hyunjae, smiling when Hyunjae perks up. “Kev? Kev is coming by?” he says, excitedly by the news of his friend coming back to their kingdom.

Haknyeon laughs, and he nods. “I knew you would want him around for the wedding, and he was more than happy to accept the offer of painting your portrait - I believe his exact words were, ‘Hell to the fucking yeah, no one else is allowed to paint their wedding picture but me,’” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae laughs. 

Kevin had become a close friend after Juyeon left, and Hyunjae hates to admit it, but he did feel a certain familiar emptiness fill him when Kevin took to the road as a travelling artist, gaining fame and fortune as he did so. And while Hyunjae often wrote to the artist (and looked forwards to whatever letters Kevin sent back) he did miss his friend dearly. He’s excited to see him once more.

“As well, Lee Sangyeon is scheduled to drop by sometime sooner,” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae’s eyebrows raise. “Sangyeonnie hyung?” he says, not noticing how Juyeon looks at him when he says those words. 

The alpha is the prince of the Eastern Kingdom, Crekerland. He had been one of Hyunjae’s first teenage crushes when he was younger, though looking back on it, Hyunjae realizes it might’ve been because the older man resembled Juyeon in ways that have long faded. That, and the fact that Hyunjae was more in love with the idea of being in love with someone, rather than anything else.

“He was supposed to come by on his way back home from the Western Continent, he has some business to discuss with both you and the king, though I do think he probably is excited to see you as well,” Haknyeon says, and Hyunjae smiles. “Let me know when he’s here. I’d love to spend some time with him catching up,”

Haknyeon leaves soon after, telling him to rest up, and Hyunjae is smiling to himself when he sees Juyeon’s look, the smile dropping from his face. “What?”

“‘Sangyeonnie hyung?’” Juyeon says and Hyunjae stares at him, before laughing. “Oh my god, Juyeonnie, are you _jealous?_ ” the omega asks, and he watches as Juyeon whines, pouting as he says, “I’m not _jealous_ , but… I thought I was the only one you called like that,” he says, and Hyunjae giggles.

“You’re so _adorable_ , you know that, baby?” Hyunjae asks, laughing even more when Juyeon only whines more. “He’s a _royal alpha_ , how can I not be jealous?”

Hyunjae is raising an eyebrow. "How do you know that?" he asks, genuinely curious. Juyeon jabs a finger in the direction of the door. "Haknyeon made me read about the current monarchs and important figures in the surrounding kingdoms as part of my training. Since, you know, you're kind of super special," Juyeon says, and Hyunjae lets out a "huh" before seeing the look of displeasure still on his mate's face. 

“We’re just friends, Juyeonnie. You know you’re the only one for me,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon only continues to pout, the sight making Hyunjae smile, as he leans over to place a kiss to his forehead. “Besides, he’s probably coming by for our wedding anyways,” Hyunjae says, before changing the topic. He hates to see Juyeon upset and instead decides to divert his attention to something else.

“By the way… I had been talking to Dr. Song before all of this happened,” Hyunjae says, waving a hand in the air. Juyeon looks up at him at the mention of the therapist, and Hyunjae smiles. “I had asked her if maybe getting you a therapy animal would help, and while she didn’t say you _need_ one, she wasn’t against the idea either,”

He watches as Juyeon slowly lights up, and Hyunjae laughs. “I thought of a dog, but we don’t really have time to spend with a puppy, so what do you think about an emotional support kitten?” Hyunjae asks. He doesn’t mention how he thought getting Juyeon with a kitten would be much more fitting; being able to see his big cat of an alpha with a tiny kitten would definitely make his heart melt.

“Oh my god, that sounds amazing! Hyung, are you serious?” Juyeon asks, suddenly acting so much like a little kid, and Hyunjae giggles, nodding. “I’ve talked about it with Haknyeon already, and he’s okay with it too,” Hyunjae says, knowing how both Haknyeon and Juyeon are such suckers for small cute animals.

And from that point on, it’s no surprise when a few days later, Hyunjae comes to their chambers holding a tiny grey kitten, the little thing just under 3 months old. Juyeon is so quick to take the little ball of fluff from Hyunjae, the small cat meowing softly as she looks at Juyeon with big blue eyes, the alpha instantly falling in love with the tiny kitten.

“What’s her name?” Juyeon asks, and Hyunjae shrugs. “They called her Blue for a while, but I thought you could name her. She is your kitten, after all,” Hyunjae says, and Juyeon smiles. “Blue is a nice name,” he says, petting the tiny head. The cat looks comically small in Juyeon’s large hands, and Hyunjae finds himself melting at the sight. “I think I would like to keep that name for her,”

Hyunjae watches with fond eyes as Juyeon plays with Blue, petting the small kitten and teasing her with a tassel that was hanging from his jacket, laughing as she jumps up to try and grab it with her tiny claws, the sight making Hyunjae’s heart throb. It reminds him all too much of his dream, and he bites his lip as he looks away, a big smile on his lips as he does so.

And in the coming days, with the way Juyeon spoils Blue to no end, more and more tiny kitty collars and toys appearing in their chambers has Hyunjae fondly rolling his eyes, but Juyeon never forgets to press a kiss to Hyunjae’s lips, a breathless, “I love you so much, hyung,” leaving his lips, has him smiling to himself like an idiot, as he replies back, “I love you more, Juyeonnie,”

A week passes since his heat, with Juyeon babying Hyunjae and babying Blue, the kitten sleeping on the expensive cat bed Juyeon had ordered for her, and it’s only as Hyunjae is lying down to sleep does he remember that they were supposed to do the marking sometime around this time.

He glances over at Juyeon, seeing the alpha sound asleep, and Hyunjae smiles. Juyeon had been so hard at work, tending to every one of Hyunjae’s wants and needs (despite the omega arguing he is capable of going to get himself a glass of water), while still keeping up with his lessons with the guards, that Hyunjae doesn’t have the heart to wake him up.

 _‘It’s okay. Tomorrow, I’ll remind him, and we can get things sorted out then,’_ Hyunjae thinks to himself, as he lies down next to the alpha, linking their pinkies together. Juyeon automatically rolls over, moving closer to Hyunjae, the prince smiling as he turns to stare at the younger’s beautiful features, a soft breath leaving his lips. 

_‘I love you, Lee Juyeon. With my entire heart, body and soul, I love you.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arc 2, 끝!
> 
> Thanks for reading~

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you for reading what is my first Jujae fic posted on this site - I really hope you enjoyed and would love to hear any feedback you have! For reference, I have this fic divided into story arcs, and will be posting each story arc together weekly (i.e. I have the first one done, and the chapters will be posted the same day every week until the end of the first arc. After this, there may be a few weeks without posts, but once the second arc is finished, I'll be posting those using the same schedule I did for the first story arc - sorry if this is confusing haha)
> 
> This story is one I've been working on for a really long time too - it initially just started as a single scene I wanted to write with whipped!Juyeon and Prince!Hyunjae and it kind of evolved and took on a mind of it's own. Also, it's thanks to anon over here who really gave me that extra push to actually try to finish it haha (honestly, without her help, I probably would've given up on it halfway through)
> 
> Anyways! Thank you so much for reading, as always~
> 
> \- Eunhae
> 
>   
> (Also if you haven't seen anon's beautiful fics yet, I highly recommend you check them out! _Never Let Me Go, Nightingale_ and _A Study in Love and Other Things Like That_ are my FAVOURITES!)


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